Diagnosis and treatment of trigeminal neuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia is a disease affecting older individuals. The clinical hallmark of trigeminal neuralgia is a sudden, excruciating paroxysm of pain in the area of the trigeminal nerve. Drug therapy is considered the first line of treatment for trigeminal neuralgia. Anticonvulsant carbamazepine has been used. If relevant pharmacotherapy has been tried without any effect, other procedures are selected. These procedures are microvascular decompression(a radical technique), glycerol trigeminal rhizotomy, percutaneous trigeminal nerve decompression and nerve block. Nerve block with neurolytic solutions and radiofrequency thermocoagulation is a simple, less invasive therapy. In order to avoid hypesthesia and dysesthesia, nerve block using a high concentration of local anesthetics is recommended. In recent years, stereotactic radiosurgery for trigeminal neuralgia has emerged as a new therapeutic modality.     

Two cases of medically and surgically intractable SUNCT: a reason for caution and an argument for a central mechanism

We report two cases of SUNCT that demonstrate the medically and surgically refractory nature of this disorder and support the hypothesis that the causative 'lesion' lies within the central nervous system. After both patients had failed medical therapies, the first underwent a glycerol rhizotomy, gammaknife radiosurgery and microvascular decompression of the trigeminal nerve. The second patient underwent gammaknife radiosurgery of the trigeminal root exit zone and two microvascular decompression surgeries. Neither patient benefited from these procedures. Currently, the first patient suffers from anaesthesia dolorosa and the second patient from unilateral deafness, chronic vertigo and dysequilibrium as a result of surgical trauma. These cases of SUNCT highlight the uncertainty regarding the role of surgery given the potential for significant morbidity. These cases also suggest that SUNCT originates and may be maintained from within the CNS and this central locus explains why SUNCT is not typically amenable to interventions aimed at the peripheral portion of the trigeminal nerve.     

原发性三叉神经痛的显微外科治疗

目的 :探讨原发性三叉神经痛的显微外科治疗及其疗效。方法 :根据术中探查有无明确的血管压迫三叉神经 ,分别采用显微血管减压术或感觉根部分切断术。 132例病人中 95例行血管减压术 ;37例行感觉根切断术。结果 :无手术死亡病例。随访 6个月 15年 ,治愈或好转 130例 ,有效率为     

Neurosurgical therapy of facial neuralgias

INTRODUCTION: Neuralgias of the face, especially trigeminal neuralgia and glossopharyngeal neuralgia are indications for surgical interventions after failed medical therapy. In contrast to other forms of headache or atypical facial pain, where surgical measures are considered to be contraindicated, percutaneous procedures or microvascular decompression are able to produce immediate and longstanding pain relief. Careful preoperative evaluation is essential to confirm the clinical diagnosis and to rule out other causes as multiple sclerosis or tumors afflicting the cranial nerves. The following study will summarize the common surgical techniques and their role considering a mechanism-based therapy as well as document long-term results of these measures. METHODS: Between 1977 and 1997 316 thermo-controlled radiofrequency trigeminal rhizotomies (TK) and 379 microvascular decompressions (MVD) were performed in our hospital to treat trigeminal neuralgia; additional 6 MVDs for glossopharyngeal neuralgia and one MVD of the intermediate facial nerve were carried out. Questionnaires were sent out to all patients still living in 1981, 1982, 1992 and 1998. For all other patients, interviews with relatives or the general practitioners were conducted. A retrospective analysis of postoperative pain relief was performed using Kaplan-Meier curves at the latest follow-up. Additionally 80 patients underwent careful quantitative sensory testing with Von-Frey-hairs. RESULTS: 225 patients who underwent microvascular decompression and 206 with radiofrequency trigeminal rhizotomies were further analyzed. There was a 50% risk for pain recurrence two years after radiofrequency rhizotomy. On the other hand 64% of patients who underwent microvascular decompression remained painfree 20 years postoperatively. Patients with microvascular decompression without sensory deficit were painfree significantly longer than patients with postoperative hypesthesia. DISCUSSION: Etiology and pathogenesis of facial neuralgias are far from understood despite several hypotheses. Based on current models there is no explanation for the immediate pain relief especially after microvascular decompression. Some authors even discuss surgical trauma as the only cause for postoperative pain relief.     

Place de la chirurgie dans la névralgie du trijumeau

Trigeminal neuralgia is a potentially disturbing disease and may be resistant to classical medications such as anti-epileptic drugs. The first step is to check out the clear assessment of an essential trigeminal neuralgia so as to rule out specific etiologies of the trigeminal pain. There are mainly three kinds of surgical strategies: microsurgical neurovascular decompression, percutaneous gasserian lesioning and radiosurgery with Gamma knife. Microsurgical neurovascular decompression is an open surgery and the goal is to take away a vessel (mainly an artery) from the trigeminal nerve as it has been assumed that this conflit was the pathophysiological reason for the ??epileptic-like?? pain. This surgery has been around for at least 40 years. The results are very good, with 90% of the patients being satisfied and relieved from pain. Moreover, the results are long lasting with a 70% rate of satisfaction for the longest follow-up published. The morbidity is low even for elderly people in good health condition. There are several percutaneous techniques. The principle is doing a lesion on the retrogasserian part of the nerve, either by radiofrequency (thermic lesion), or by compression with a balloon (compressive lesion). The results are also good, with 90% of the patients being immediately relieved from pain, but there is a higher risk of recurrence and some potential morbidity (trigeminal numbness or trigeminal dysfunction mainly with radiofrequency lesion). The Gamma knife procedure is a radiosurgical procedure using cobalt radiation, in one shot, at a 80 Gy dosage, with a single 4 mm isocenter located at the entry zone. There is a delay in getting relief from pain. The results are good, with 80% of the patients being relieved. Somehow, there is a tendency of pain recurrence at mid-term follow-up and a 50% rate of patients being satisfied at a 5 year follow-up. The respective indications of each technique depend on the patient, the surgeon and their experience and the avaibility of the techniques. Altogether, it has been assumed that microvascular decompression is the first option for patients with neuralgia resistant to anti-convulsivant medications. Patient in poor medical conditions, or with MS lesion or refusing surgery, can be relieved by radiosurgery or percutaneous techniques.     

Treatment of idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia: comparison of long-term outcome after radiofrequency rhizotomy and microvascular decompression. (Heidelberg College of Medicine, Heidelberg, Germany) Neurosurgery. 2001;48:1261–1267.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long‐term outcome of patients after either percutaneous trigeminal rhizotomy or microvascular decompression (MVD) for idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia at a single institution. Overall, the results of the study showed that there was a 50% risk of recurrence of pain 2 years after percutaneous radiofrequency rhizotomy. Conversely, 64% of the patients who underwent MVD remained completely pain free 20 years postoperatively. Patients without sensory impairment after MVD were pain free significantly longer than patients who experienced postoperatively hypesthesia or partial rhizotomy. Conclude that because it is curative and nondestructive, MVD is considered the treatment of choice for trigeminal neuralgia in otherwise healthy people. In this study, it was proved to be a more effective and long‐lasting procedure for patients with typical trigeminal neuralgia than radiofrequency rhizotomy. Patients without postoperative sensory deficit remained pain free significantly longer, which is a strong argument against the “trauma” hypothesis of this procedure. Comment by Ron Pawl, M.D. This paper is noteworthy in that comparing the follow‐up on 225 of 378 patients who underwent microvascular decompression (MVD) with 206 of 316 who underwent radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT), the RFT group stood a 50% risk of recurrent pain by 2 years after the procedure, whereas 64% of those undergoing MVD were pain‐free after 20 years. Furthermore, after MVD, those patients with no postoperative sensory deficit, measured with von Frey hairs, remained pain‐free longer than those with a sensory deficit. This latter finding flies in the face of the concept that to be effective, surgery for trigeminal neuralgia must damage the nerve. The whole concept of RF lesioning of the nerve is to damage it enough to deaden the trigger zone of the affected nerve branch. However, in this study it is noted that postoperative hypesthesia was only temporary after RF lesioning, which might well explain the high rate of pain recurrence in this series. Although the long‐term pain relief in the MVD group is excellent, it must be weighed against the complications. In the MVD group, there were 3 mortalities, diminished hearing in 5%, loss of hearing in 2.6%, facial paralysis in 4 patients, and tinnitus in 4 patients, none of which occurred in the RF group.     

Studies on the operative outcomes and mechanisms of microvascular decompression in treating typical and atypical trigeminal neuralgia

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the operative outcomes and mechanisms of microvascular decompression in treating typical and atypical trigeminal neuralgia. METHODS: A group of 45 patients with typical trigeminal neuralgia and 17 patients with atypical trigeminal neuralgia treated by micro-vascular decompression from 2000 to 2002 were reviewed, including their clinical presentations, operative findings, and outcomes. RESULTS: Of 45 patients with typical trigeminal neuralgia, the mean duration was 3.1 years, and the mean age of pain onset was 60.3 years. Single trigeminal division was involved in 20 patients (44.4%), and 2 or 3 divisions were involved in the other 25 patients (55.6%). During the operation, artery compression was found in 39 patients (86.7%), and the combined artery and venous compression was found in 6 patients (13.3%). Postoperatively, complete pain relief was achieved in 44 patients (97.8%), and significant pain relief was achieved in 1 patient (2.2%). As for 17 patients with atypical trigeminal neuralgia, the mean duration and the mean age of pain onset was 8.7 years and 55.5 years, respectively. Two or 3 trigeminal divisions were involved in all of these patients. During operation, artery compression occurred in 10 patients (58.8%), and the combined artery and venous compression was found in 7 patients (41.2%). Postoperatively, complete pain relief was achieved in 5 patients (29.4%), and partial pain relief was achieved in 10 patients (58.8%), and 2 patients showed no response to microvascular decompression. CONCLUSIONS: The operative outcome of microvascular decompression in patients with typical trigeminal neuralgia was better than that of patients with atypical trigeminal neuralgia, which perhaps related to short duration, late onset of pain, limited distribution, artery compression, and complete operative decompression.     

Erfahrungen mit der retroganglionären Glycerin-Rhizotomie in der Behandlung der Trigeminusneuralgie

From August 1981 to May 1993 a total of 1263 percutaneous retrogasserian glycerol rhizotomies after Hakanson were performed. The intervention was performed with X-ray monitoring under local anaesthesia and rarely lasted longer than 20 min. It achieved good results in the treatment of idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and symptomatic trigeminal neuralgia due to multiple sclerosis (TNMS). Some 97% of the TN patients were completely free of pain after the intervention. The recurrence rate within 5 years was 12.8%. Some 94.7% of the TNMS patients were immediately free of pain, but within 2-5 years they experienced a high recurrence rate of 40.2%. The results in the patients with atypical facial pain were more disappointing: only 66.6% were pain-free immediately after the intervention, and the recurrence rate was 31%. With respect to the side effects immediately postoperatively, herpetic eruptions were found in 43.2% of cases. They occurred on the 3rd postoperative day and persisted for 2-3 weeks before being relieved by local virostatic therapy. Hypaesthesia and hypalgesia were present in the early postoperative follow-up in half of our patients. Both these reductions of sensitivity have a tendency to regress. Later, after 2 years, there was reduction in sensitivity of this type in only 20% of cases. In the follow-up 17.5% of our patients complained of dysaesthesia and in 21.4% corneal sensitivity was reduced or lost. We believe that glycerol rhizotomy, owing to its effectiveness, easy applicability, slight distress for the patients and low side effects, should be recommended as a first measure for non-conservative treatment of idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia as well as trigeminal neuralgia in multiple sclerosis.     

Therapy and prophylaxis of facial neuralgias and other forms of facial pain syndromes -- revised recommendations of the German Society of Migraine and Headache

Trigeminal neuralgia and postherpetic neuralgia are the most relevant neuralgiform facial pain syndromes. Trigeminal neuralgia is characterized by lancinating intensive pain attacks of very short duration, triggered by external cues,whereas postherpetic neuralgia consists predominantly of long-lasting burning pain. Sodium channel blocking drugs are first choice in treatment of trigeminal neuralgia, operative procedures encompass microvascular decompression,thermocoagulation and percutaneous retrogasserian glycerol rhizotomy. In the acute stage postherpetic neuralgia is treated antivirally and analgesically, in the chronic stage by tricyclic antidepressive substances. Other pain syndromes described encompass the Tolosa-Hunt-syndrome, cervicogenic headache, craniomandibular dysfunction syndrome, atypical facial pain and rarer syndromes. Therapeutic recommendations are based on evidence based medicine criteria (EBM).     

Percutaneous controlled thermocoagulation in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia

This study reviews the results and complications of 162 percutaneous thermocoagulations of the gasserian ganglion in 124 patients with typical idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia. The mean duration of follow-up observation was 3.7 years (range, 1-6 years). One hundred eighteen of 124 patients continued to show complete pain relief 1 month after the operation, and at the end of follow-up observation, 83 of 124 patients (67%) continued to enjoy complete pain relief (recurrence rate, 28.2%). Anesthesia dolorosa occurred in 3% of cases, dysesthesia in 3%, and paresthesia in 17%; neuroparalytic keratitis with permanent reduction of visual acuity was observed in 2% of cases, permanent diplopia in 1%, permanent hearing deficit in 3%, and permanent impairment of mastication in 3%. We compare thermocoagulation with other surgical procedures (microvascular decompression, glycerol injection, and percutaneous decompression) used in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.     

微血管减压术治疗三叉神经痛的护理

[目的]总结微血管减压术治疗三叉神经痛的护理措施.[方法]回顾性地分析20例三叉神经痛行微血管减压术病人的临床资料.[结果]本组病人术后疼痛均消失,1例术后第8天出现口角歪斜,经处理后好转出院.[结论]加强三叉神经痛微血管减压术治疗的护理可减少并发症的发生,提高手术成功率.     

微血管减压术治疗三叉神经痛的疗效及其并发症的预防与处理

目的探讨微血管减压术治疗三叉神经痛的疗效及其并发症的预防与处理策略。方法采用微血管减压术治疗93例三叉神经痛患者,对其临床疗效及术后并发症等临床资料进行回顾性分析。结果 93例中89例术后疼痛症状消失,有效率为95.70%。术后并发症的发生情况：皮下积液4例,脑脊液漏1例,听力下降3例,耳鸣3例,面神经功能障碍4例,手术无效4例,死亡1例。结论微血管减压术治疗三叉神经痛是一种十分成熟的技术,规范手术的各种操作和积极应用监测技术能够尽量避免各种并发症的发生,显著提高手术的安全性。     

经皮半月节后根甘油阻滞治疗三叉神经痛3370例临床研究

目的:分析半月节后根甘油阻滞术(PRGR)治疗三叉神经痛的长期随访结果,评价疗效、复发率及主要并发症面部感觉障碍的恢复预后.方法:1983-2003年完成的PRGR手术3370例,随访3-23年,平均13.1年.结果:短期疼痛完全缓解率99.79%,随访2750例,死于其他疾病112例,失访508例,总复发率35%,1年内复发率0.3%,1～5年21%,5～10年7%,10～15年4%,15～23年3%.并发症主要为面部感觉迟钝,触觉重于痛觉,痛觉先于触觉恢复,除34例(1%)遗留永久性轻度感觉迟钝外,面部感觉半年内恢复.其他并发症包括失明1例,角膜炎6例,因角膜溃疡致失明1例,动脉性出血5例,咀嚼肌无力2例,继发于感染的面部畸形1例,无痛性感觉缺失和死亡病例.结论:半月节后根甘油阻滞治疗三叉神经痛是一种微创的外科治疗手段,操作简单,疼痛缓解快,主要并发症绝大多数呈损害可逆性,复发时限不一,可作为首次外科治疗推荐给药物治疗无效患者.     

椎动脉复合体压迫类型三叉神经痛微血管减压术后近期疗效分析

目的:探讨椎动脉复合体压迫导致的三叉神经痛患者微血管减压术后的近期疗效。方法:椎动脉复合体压迫类型的三叉神经痛患者(复合体组,n=13例)采用微血管减压治疗。非椎动脉复合体压迫导致的三叉神经痛(非复合体组,n=25例)采用直接旷置小脑上动脉进行治疗。两组术后2月进行疗效比较。结果:复合体组术后2月治愈10例,好转2例,无效1例;而非复合体组治愈22例,好转3例,无效0例。椎动脉复合体压迫类型的三叉神经痛的近期疗效低于非椎动脉复合体压迫类型的三叉神经痛,两组对比有统计学差异(P<0.05)。结论:椎动脉复合体压迫类型的三叉神经痛近期疗效低,其特殊的压迫类型或许是疗效低的原因。     

3.0 T MRI 3D-TOF序列联合3D-FIESTA序列结合多平面重建在三叉神经微血管减压术术前评估中的应用价值

目的探讨3.0 T MRI 3D-TOF序列联合3D-FIESTA序列结合多平面重建在三叉神经微血管减压术术前评估中的应用价值。材料与方法回顾性分析187例湘雅医院原发性三叉神经痛行三叉神经微血管减压术(MVD)的病例资料,将术前3D-TOF序列联合3D-FIESTA序列检查情况与术中探查结果进行对比研究。结果 187例患者术前3D-TOF序列联合3D-FIESTA序列显示:症状侧三叉神经血管压迫(neurovascular compression,NVC)阳性173例,阳性率达92.3%,MVD术发现血管神经压迫179例,阳性率达95.6%。其中小脑上动脉73例(40.8%)、小脑前下动脉28例(15.4%)、基底动脉17例(9.8%)、小脑后下动脉5例(3.2%)、复合压迫35例(20.2%)、静脉11例(6.2%)。3D-TOF序列联合3D-FIESTA序列显示无血管压迫14例,阴性率7.7%,而术中发现无责任血管10例,阴性符合率58.8%。症状对侧血管压迫阳性20例,假阳性率10.7%,两侧阳性率差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论 3D-TOF序列联合3D-FIESTA序列,结合3D后处理重建能相对清晰显示三叉神经与周围血管的空间关系,是三叉神经微血管减压术术前评估的有效方法之一。     

显微血管减压术治疗原发性三叉神经痛

目的：探讨原发性三叉神经痛显微外科手术方法和效果。方法：应用三叉神经根显微血管减压术治疗原发性三叉神经痛36例,探讨手术技巧及效果。结果：三叉神经根显微血管减压术治疗原发性三叉神经痛创伤小,手术疗效满意。结论：三叉神经根显微血管减压术是治疗原发性三叉神经痛的较好手术方案。     

伽玛刀对神经根与毗邻血管不同解剖关系的原发性三叉神经痛的治疗疗效分析

目的探讨原发性三叉神经痛患者三叉神经根与毗邻血管的不同解剖关系对伽玛刀治疗疗效的影响。方法回顾性分析2004年1月至2009年1月山西医科大学第二医院伽玛刀中心治疗原发性痛患者82例，依据MR定位影像显示三叉神经根与毗邻血管的不同解剖关系（无接触、可疑接触、明确接触、推移），评估对伽玛刀治疗疗效的影响。结果随访6～18个月，平均随访12．5个月，依据BNI疼痛量表评分Ⅲ级以上70例，总有效率85．4％，三叉神经根与血管无接触组有效率89．7％，可疑接触组有效率86．4％，明确接触78．9％，推移组81．8％，复发8例（9．7％）。结论三叉神经根与毗邻血管的不同解剖关系对伽玛刀治疗疗效差别无统计学意义，推移组复发率较其他组高，远期疗效有待进一步评估。     

微血管减压术治疗三叉神经痛疗效观察

目的：探讨微血管减压术治疗三叉神经痛的适应症，手术方法，疗效，方法：枕下入路手术治疗三叉神经痛92例，其中77例发现有血管压迫，行微血管减压术，结果：77例中，68例术后疼痛立即消失，3例疼痛减轻，6例无效，40例随访68个月－5a，疼痛复发7例。结论：三叉神经微血管减压术有较肯定疗效，可保留三叉神经功能，但需开颅，有一定风险，有一定的复发率。     

The Effect of Traditional Herbal Medicines; Uyakujunkisan on Trigeminal Neuralgia in an Elderly Patient—A Case Report and Literature Review

? Abstract: This report describes the successful treatment of a 72‐year‐old female with refractory trigeminal neuralgia using a traditional herbal medicine, Uyakujunkisan (UJS). The case report is of a 65‐year‐old female who developed right‐sided trigeminal neuralgia that was partially responsive to carbamazepine (CZ). The pain gradually increased in intensity and at 72 years of age she presented for herbal medicine therapy. Cranial MRI demonstrated vascular compression of the right trigeminal nerve at the cerebellopontine angle by the anterior inferior cerebellar artery. Although microvascular decompression was considered, UJS was prescribed after informed consent. After 3 weeks of treatment with UJS, dramatic improvement of symptoms permitted a decrease in CZ dose. ?     

显微血管减压术治疗三叉神经痛66例围术期护理

目的:探讨三叉神经痛行显微血管减压术患者围术期的护理方法.方法:对66例三叉神经痛患者行显微血管减压术,术前加强心理护理、术前准备,术后严密观察、对症处理.结果:本组术后疼痛消失41例,症状缓解22例,3例复发.随访3～10个月,本组治疗效果优46例,良18例,无效2例.结论:加强三叉神经痛行显微血管减压术患者的围术期护理,可减少术后并发症的发生.