Celiac plexus (CP)

The celiac plexus is a complex network of autonomic nerves and ganglia located in the retroperitoneum at the level of the L1 vertebra, where it surrounds the celiac trunk and the origin of the superior mesenteric artery (StatPearls, 2023). It serves as a primary relay station for visceral sensation and autonomic control, receiving sympathetic fibers from the splanchnic nerves and parasympathetic fibers from the vagus nerve to innervate the stomach, liver, pancreas, and kidneys (Wikipedia, 2024). In clinical medicine, the celiac plexus is not a molecular target but rather an anatomical target for interventional procedures designed to alleviate intractable abdominal pain (National Institutes of Health, 2022). Celiac plexus block or neurolysis involves the administration of local anesthetics or neurolytic agents, such as ethanol, to disrupt pain signaling pathways, particularly in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer or chronic pancreatitis (Journal of Pain Research, 2021). While these interventions can significantly reduce opioid requirements, they are associated with risks such as transient hypotension and diarrhea resulting from the loss of sympathetic tone (American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, 2023). Rare but serious complications such as paraplegia or vascular injury have also been documented in clinical literature (PubMed, 2022).

Other names

Solar plexusPlexus coeliacusCeliac ganglion complex

Interruption of visceral nociceptive signaling through pharmacological blockade or chemical neurolysis of the celiac ganglia.