Technique Can Ease Facial Pain in Trigeminal Neuralgia
Outcomes for repeat posterior fossa exploration similar to other surgical techniques
FRIDAY, May 9 (HealthDay News) -- Repeat posterior fossa exploration can benefit patients with persistent or recurrent idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia, with outcomes similar to other surgical techniques, researchers report in the May issue of the Journal of Neurosurgery.
Nelly Amador, M.D., Ph.D., and Bruce E. Pollock, M.D., from the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minn., performed repeat posterior fossa exploration in 29 patients with persistent or recurrent idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia.
The researchers found that 83 percent of patients had compression of the trigeminal nerve by an artery, vein or Teflon. Microvascular decompression was performed in 62 percent of patients and a partial nerve section was performed in 38 percent of patients. At three years after surgery, 75 percent of patients still had no pain or need for medication. However, 52 percent of patients developed new or increased facial numbness, 7 percent developed anesthesia dolorosa, and 7 percent developed hearing loss.
"Repeat posterior fossa exploration for patients with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia has facial pain outcomes that are comparable with both percutaneous needle-based techniques and stereotactic radiosurgery," Amador and Pollock conclude. "Patients with persistent or recurrent trigeminal neuralgia should be considered for repeat posterior fossa exploration, especially if other less invasive surgeries have not relieved their facial pain."
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