Table 3 Factors related to the implementation of procedures by pain specialists (univariate analysis)
| Â | Celiac plexus neurolysis/splanchnic nerve neurolysis | Phenol saddle block | Epidural infusions of local anesthetic combined with opioids | Intrathecal analgesia | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Variables | Currently implementing | Not currently implementing | p-value | Currently implementing | Not currently implementing | p-value | Currently implementing | Not currently implementing | p-value | Currently implementing | Not currently implementing | p-value |
Background | ||||||||||||
Age N (%) | ||||||||||||
 -39 | 19 (47.5) | 21 (52.5) | 0.526 | 24 (58.5) | 17 (41.5) | 0.933 | 33 (86.8) | 5 (13.2) | 0.426 | 17 (41.5) | 24 (58.5) | 0.915 |
 40-59 | 173 (49.4) | 177 (50.6) |  | 196 (55.7) | 156 (44.3) |  | 269 (79.4) | 70 (20.6) |  | 143 (40.4) | 211 (59.6) |  |
 ≥60 | 75 (54.7) | 62 (45.3) |  | 77 (56.6) | 59 (43.4) |  | 101 (77.1) | 30 (22.9) |  | 59 (42.4) | 80 (57.6) |  |
Sex N (%) | ||||||||||||
 Male | 196 (53.4) | 171 (46.6) | 0.043* | 211 (57.5) | 156 (42.5) | 0.274 | 279 (79.5) | 72 (20.5) | 0.875 | 155 (41.8) | 216 (58.2) | 0.622 |
 Female | 72 (43.9) | 92 (56.1) |  | 87 (52.4) | 79 (47.6) |  | 127 (78.9) | 34 (21.1) |  | 66 (39.5) | 101 (60.5) |  |
Number of cancer patients with pain treated annually N (%) | ||||||||||||
 0 | 14 (16.7) | 70 (83.3) | <0.001* | 18 (21.4) | 66 (78.6) | <0.001* | 42 (50.6) | 41 (49.4) | <0.001* | 14(16.7) | 70 (83.3) | <0.001* |
 1-9 | 74 (44.8) | 91 (55.2) |  | 86 (52.4) | 78 (47.6) |  | 132 (84.1) | 25 (15.9) |  | 59(35.3) | 108 (64.7) |  |
 10-49 | 79 (64.2) | 44 (35.8) |  | 85 (68.5) | 39 (31.5) |  | 106 (87.6) | 15 (12.4) |  | 70(56.0) | 55 (44.0) |  |
 ≥50 | 98 (67.6) | 47 (32.4) |  | 102 (69.4) | 45 (30.6) |  | 117 (84.8) | 21 (15.2) |  | 73(49.3) | 75 (50.7) |  |
Working facility N (%) | ||||||||||||
 Designated cancer hospital/university hospital | 176 (55.2) | 143 (44.8) | 0.006* | 196 (60.9) | 126 (39.1) | 0.004* | 249 (80.8) | 59 (19.2) | 0.294 | 137 (42.3) | 187 (57.7) | 0.457 |
 Other | 94 (43.1) | 124 (56.9) |  | 105 (48.4) | 112 (51.6) |  | 161 (77.0) | 48 (23.0) |  | 86 (39.1) | 134 (60.9) |  |
Main workplace N (%) | ||||||||||||
 Ward/outpatient clinic | 143 (65.0) | 77 (35.0) | <0.001* | 140 (63.3) | 81 (36.7) | 0.015* | 170 (82.9) | 35 (17.1) | 0.016* | 110 (49.5) | 112 (50.5) | 0.004* |
 Operating room | 114 (39.3) | 176 (60.7) |  | 147 (50.7) | 143 (49.3) |  | 222 (77.9) | 63 (22.1) |  | 103 (35.0) | 191 (65.0) |  |
 Other | 4 (36.4) | 7 (63.6) |  | 6 (50.0) | 6 (50.0) |  | 6 (50.0) | 6 (50.0) |  | 5 (41.7) | 7 (58.3) |  |
Barriers | ||||||||||||
Difficult to gain experience and acquire skills due to the limited number of cases N (%) | ||||||||||||
 Agree | 109 (38.0) | 178 (62.0) | <0.001* | 68 (36.2) | 120 (63.8) | <0.001* | 17 (47.2) | 19 (52.8) | <0.001* | 43 (25.0) | 129 (75.0) | <0.001* |
 Other | 160 (65.6) | 84 (34.4) |  | 232 (67.2) | 113 (32.8) |  | 391 (82.1) | 85 (17.9) |  | 176 (48.6) | 186 (51.4) |  |
Difficult to treat patients who require the procedure due to a lack of time N (%) | ||||||||||||
 Agree | 39 (28.3) | 99 (71.7) | <0.001* | 25 (25.3) | 74 (74.7) | <0.001* | 38 (55.9) | 30 (44.1) | <0.001* | 22 (22.7) | 75 (77.3) | <0.001* |
 Other | 229 (58.4) | 163 (41.6) |  | 275 (63.2) | 160 (36.8) |  | 369 (83.5) | 73 (16.5) |  | 199 (45.4) | 239 (54.6) |  |
Difficult to communicate with other departments when implementing the procedure N (%) | ||||||||||||
 Agree | 27 (38.6) | 43 (61.4) | <0.001* | 17 (32.1) | 36 (67.9) | <0.001* | 22 (56.4) | 17 (43.6) | <0.001* | 18 (26.1) | 51 (73.9) | 0.006* |
 Other | 242 (52.5) | 219 (47.5) |  | 284 (59.0) | 197 (41.0) |  | 385 (81.6) | 87 (18.4) |  | 203 (43.4) | 265 (56.6) |  |
Implementation at our facility is not permitted N (%) | ||||||||||||
 Agree | 6 (16.7) | 30 (83.3) | <0.001* | 7 (17.1) | 34 (82.9) | <0.001* | 7 (38.9) | 11 (61.1) | <0.001* | 3 (6.8) | 41 (93.2) | <0.001* |
 Other | 261 (53.3) | 229 (46.7) |  | 292 (49.5) | 298 (50.5) |  | 400 (81.1) | 93 (18.9) |  | 218 (44.3) | 274 (55.7) |  |
Dispensing and using phenol glycerin are not permitted by the Ethics Committee or Regulatory Committee in our facility N (%) | ||||||||||||
 Agree | - | - |  | 43 (40.2) | 64 (59.8) | <0.001* | - | - |  | - | - |  |
 Other | - | - |  | 255 (60.3) | 168 (39.7) |  | - | - |  | - | - |  |
The facilities to which patients may be referred after implementation are limited N (%) | ||||||||||||
 Agree | - | - |  | - | - |  | - | - |  | 105 (39.6) | 160 (60.4) | 0.446 |
 Other | - | - |  | - | - |  | - | - |  | 117 (42.9) | 156 (57.1) |  |