Background: During radiofrequency bursts of energy are applied to nervous tissue. The clinical
advantages of this treatment remain unclear.
Objectives: We compared the effectiveness and pain relief for idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia
(TN) after continuous radiofrequency (CRF), pulsed radiofrequency (PRF), and combined continuous
and pulsed radiofrequency (CCPRF) treatment of the Gasserian ganglion (GG).
Study Design: We conducted a randomized prospective study. Forty-three patients were
included. Eleven patients were treated with PRF at 42°C for 10 minutes (PRF group), 12 patients
received CRF for 270 seconds at 75 °C (CRF group), and 20 patients received PRF for 10 minutes
at 42°C followed by CRF for at 60°C for 270 seconds (CCPRF group).
Setting: Assuit University Hospital, Pain and Neurology outpatient clinics.
Methods: Patients were assessed for pain, satisfaction, and consumption of analgesics at
baseline and 7 days, one month, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months after the procedure. The
incidence of complications, anesthesia dolorosa, weakness of muscles of mastication, numbness,
and technical complications, was evaluated after the procedure.
Results: Excellent pain relief was achieved after 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively in 95%, 85%,
and 70% of patients with CCPRF; 75%, 75%, and reduced to 50% among patients with CRF; and
82%, reduced to 9.1%, and 0% of patients with PRF. No complications were recorded in 75%
of patients in the CCPRF and PRF groups. There was one case of anesthesia dolorosa, 4 cases of
masseter muscle weakness, and 5 cases of severe numbness recorded in the CRF group.
Limitation: There was a small number of patients in each group.
Conclusion: The best results were observed in the CCPRF group, followed by the CRF group,
and then the PRF group.
Effects of Pulsed Versus Conventional Versus
Combined Radiofrequency for the Treatment of
Trigeminal Neuralgia: A Prospective Study
