Case Study: Management of Post-Parotidectomy Neuropathic Pain with Tetrahydrocannabinol:cannabidiol (Sativex)

Patrick T. Yang, May Ong-Lam

ABSTRACT

Effective treatment and management of neuropathic pain have been limited. Tetrahydrocannabinol:cannabidiol (THC:CBD) endocannabinoid buccomucosal spray (Sativex) is used in this case study to treat a patient suffering from neuropathic pain postparotidectomy. Furthermore, this particular case study shows that cannabinoids may be effective, at least in part, through a central mechanism to relieve allodynia. This patient’s allodynia was treated with Sativex buccomucosal spray. Six weeks later, the patient returned to the clinic with pain symptoms alleviated and transient decrease in alertness as the only side effect experienced. Two years since the initiation of Sativex treatment for allodynia, the patient has not experienced any relapse and is now working and fully functional. This case study demonstrates a successful off-label use of Sativex to treat post-parotidectomy neuropathic pain. Sativex is currently indicated in Canada to treat neuropathic pain only in multiple sclerosis and cancer. This is the first case study to report successful treatment of post-parotidectomy neuropathic pain with THC:CBD (Sativex) buccomucosal spray.

KEYWORDS: Sativex; allodynia; neuropathic pain; tetrahydrocannabinol:cannabidiol

Full text (PDF, 1083KB)

Yang PT, Ong-Lam M. Case Study: Management of Post-Parotidectomy Neuropathic Pain with Tetrahydrocannabinol:cannabidiol (Sativex). UBCMJ. 2010 2(1):45-48.