Trigeminal Neuralagia

RADIOFREQUENCY ABLATION FOR TRIGRMINAL NEURALGIA

  • Incidence:4-5/100,000
  • Also known as Fothergill’s disease/Tic Douloureux/Suicide Disease
  • Female predominance (M: F = 1:2 -2:3)
  • Hallmark pain is agonising, paroxysmal and lancinating along one/ more divisions of V nerve. Pain is virtually always unilateral, most commonly in V2 distribution. Triggered by activities such as chewing, speaking, swallowing, touching the face, or brushing the teeth.
  • Pain typically more severe in morning and disappears during sleep. Pain relief when treated with carbamazepine. Pain free intervals are common- weeks to as long as years. Recurrences are common- at the site of initial complaint.
  • SURGICAL MANAGEMENT
Gasserian ganglion-level procedures
Microvascular decompression (MVD)
Ablative treatments

Radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT). Glycerol rhizolysis (GR).Balloon compression (BC)Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Peripheral procedures .Peripheral neurectomy.Cryotherapy (cryonanlgesia) .Alcohol block.