Glycerol rhizotomy and radiofrequency thermocoagulation for trigeminal neuralgia in multiple sclerosis

2013 ◽  
Vol 118 (2) ◽  
pp. 329-336 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew T. Bender ◽  
Gustavo Pradilla ◽  
Sachin Batra ◽  
Alfred P. See ◽  
Carol James ◽  
...  

Object Patients with trigeminal neuralgia due to multiple sclerosis (TN-MS) and idiopathic TN (ITN) who underwent glycerol rhizotomy (GR) and radiofrequency thermocoagulation with glycerol rhizotomy (RFTC-GR) were compared to investigate the effectiveness of these percutaneous ablative procedures in the TN-MS population. Methods Between 1998 and 2010, 822 patients with typical TN were evaluated; 63 (8%) had TN-MS and 759 (92%) had ITN. Pain relief comparisons were made between 22 GR procedures in patients with TN-MS and 470 GR procedures in patients with ITN; 50 RFTC-GR procedures in patients with TN-MS and 287 RFTC-GR procedures in patients with ITN were compared. Analysis of time to recurrence included only procedures that achieved complete pain relief without medications. Results After 15 of the GR procedures (68%) in patients with TN-MS and 315 of the procedures (67%) in those with ITN, the patients were pain free without medications (p = 0.736). After 36 of the RFTC-GR procedures (72%) in patients with TN-MS and 210 of the procedures (73%) in those with ITN, the patients were pain free without medications (p = 0.657). The difference in pain relief between GR and RFTC-GR for patients with TN-MS was not significant (p = 0.447). The median time to failure of GR was 20 months in patients with TN-MS compared with 25 months in those with ITN (p = 0.403). The median time to failure of RFTC-GR was 26 months in the TN-MS population compared with 21 months in the ITN population (p = 0.449). Patients with TN-MS experienced similar times to recurrence whether they were treated with GR or RFTC-GR (p = 0.431). Conclusions Pain relief and durability of relief outcomes of GR and RFTC-GR were similar in patients with TN-MS and ITN, reinforcing their use as preferred treatments of TN-MS. The GR and RFTC-GR achieved comparable outcomes in patients with TN-MS, suggesting that both can be used to good effect.

2020 ◽  
Vol 132 (5) ◽  
pp. 1405-1413 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael D. Staudt ◽  
Holger Joswig ◽  
Gwynedd E. Pickett ◽  
Keith W. MacDougall ◽  
Andrew G. Parrent

OBJECTIVEThe prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS-TN) is higher than in the general population (idiopathic TN [ITN]). Glycerol rhizotomy (GR) is a percutaneous lesioning surgery commonly performed for the treatment of medically refractory TN. While treatment for acute pain relief is excellent, long-term pain relief is poorer. The object of this study was to assess the efficacy of percutaneous retrogasserian GR for the treatment of MS-TN versus ITN.METHODSA retrospective chart review was performed, identifying 219 patients who had undergone 401 GR procedures from 1983 to 2018 at a single academic institution. All patients were diagnosed with medically refractory MS-TN (182 procedures) or ITN (219 procedures). The primary outcome measures of interest were immediate pain relief and time to pain recurrence following initial and repeat GR procedures. Secondary outcomes included medication usage and presence of periprocedural hypesthesia.RESULTSThe initial pain-free response rate was similar between groups (p = 0.726): MS-TN initial GR 89.6%; MS-TN repeat GR 91.9%; ITN initial GR 89.6%; ITN repeat GR 87.0%. The median time to recurrence after initial GR was similar between MS-TN (2.7 ± 1.3 years) and ITN (2.1 ± 0.6 years) patients (p = 0.87). However, there was a statistically significant difference in the time to recurrence after repeat GR between MS-TN (2.3 ± 0.5 years) and ITN patients (1.2 ± 0.2 years; p < 0.05). The presence of periprocedural hypesthesia was highly predictive of pain-free survival (p < 0.01).CONCLUSIONSPatients with MS-TN achieve meaningful pain relief following GR, with an efficacy comparable to that following GR in patients with ITN. Initial and subsequent GR procedures are equally efficacious.


Pain Medicine ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
pp. 1370-1378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bing Ran ◽  
Jun Wei ◽  
Qiong Zhong ◽  
Min Fu ◽  
Jun Yang ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation (PRT) via the foramen rotundum (FR) for the treatment of isolated maxillary (V2) idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (ITN) and assess the appropriate puncture angle through the anterior coronoid process to reach the FR. Methods Between January 2011 and October 2016, 87 patients with V2 ITN refractory to conservative treatment were treated by computed tomography (CT)–guided PRT via the FR at our institution. The outcome of pain relief was assessed by the visual analog scale (VAS) and Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) pain grade and grouped as complete pain relief (BNI grades I–III) or unsuccessful pain relief (BNI grades IV–V). Recurrence and complications were also monitored and recorded. The puncture angle for this novel approach was assessed based on intraoperative CT images. Results Of the 87 treated patients, 85 (97.7%) achieved complete pain relief, and two patients (2.3%) experienced unsuccessful pain relief immediately after operation. During the mean follow-up period of 44.3 months, 15 patients (17.2%) experienced recurring pain. No severe complications occurred, except for hypoesthesia restricted to the V2 distribution in all patients (100%) and facial hematoma in 10 patients (11.5%). The mean puncture angle to reach the FR was 33.6° ± 5.7° toward the sagittal plane. Discussion CT-guided PRT via the FR for refractory isolated V2 ITN is effective and safe and could be a rational therapy for patients with V2 ITN.


2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 551-558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren E Stone ◽  
Steven M Falowski

Abstract BACKGROUND Radiofrequency rhizotomy is a percutaneous procedure for trigeminal neuralgia frequently performed with intermittent awakening, although the utility and accuracy of this procedure in continuously sedated patients have not yet been evaluated. OBJECTIVE To evaluate pain relief in patients with trigeminal neuralgia undergoing radiofrequency rhizotomy under continuous sedation. METHODS Patients from 2012 to 2017 who underwent radiofrequency rhizotomy for trigeminal neuralgia were evaluated retrospectively. Barrow Neurological Institute Pain Intensity scores were assigned to determine relapse at 1 mo, 1 yr, 3 yr, and 5 yr. Descriptive relapse rates for patients with multiple sclerosis and those undergoing repeat procedures are also reported. RESULTS A total of 90.8% of procedures reported Barrow Neurological Institute I-III score at 1 mo (P &lt; .0001), 66.3% at 1 yr (P = .0012), and 71.1% at 3 yr (P = .0003). Duration to relapse was 3.0 and 6.0 at 1 and 3 yr, respectively. Procedures in patients with multiple sclerosis reported 100% relief at 1 mo and 87.5% relief at 1 yr (P = .0099). The presence of numbness and postoperative medication changes were not associated with pain relief (P = .0063, P = .1338). CONCLUSION The use of continuous sedation in radiofrequency rhizotomy for trigeminal neuralgia provides pain relief comparable to the recorded literature rate for procedures with intermittent awakening.


2009 ◽  
Vol 15 (11) ◽  
pp. 1322-1328 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Cordella ◽  
A. Franzini ◽  
L. La Mantia ◽  
C. Marras ◽  
A. Erbetta ◽  
...  

Trigeminal neuralgia is a disorder characterized by paroxysmal pain arising in one or more trigeminal branches; it is commonly reported in multiple sclerosis. In multiple sclerosis patients the ophthalmic branch may be frequently involved and the risks carried by neurosurgical ablative procedures are higher including major adverse effects such as corneal reflex impairment and keratitis. The objective of this works is to assess the role of posterior hypothalamus neuromodulation in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia in multiple sclerosis patients. Five multiple sclerosis patients suffering from refractory recurrent trigeminal neuralgia involving all three trigeminal branches underwent deep brain stimulation of the posterior hypothalamus. The rationale of this intervention emerges from our earlier success in treating pain patients suffering from trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias. After follow-up periods that ranged from 1 to 4 years after treatment, the paroxysmal pain arising from the first trigeminal branch was controlled, whereas the recurrence of pain in the second and third trigeminal branches necessitated repeated thermorhizotomies to control in pain in two patients after 2 years of follow-up. In conclusion, deep brain stimulation may be considered as an adjunctive procedure for treating refractory paroxysmal pain within the first trigeminal division so as to avoid the complication of corneal reflex impairment that is known to follow ablative procedures.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 973-983 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin C. Lopez ◽  
Peter J. Hamlyn ◽  
Joanna M. Zakrzewska

Abstract OBJECTIVE There are no randomized controlled trials comparing retrogasserian percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation, glycerol rhizolysis, balloon compression of the gasserian ganglion, and stereotactic radiosurgery, nor are there systematic reviews using predefined quality criteria. The objective of this study was to systematically identify all of the studies reporting outcomes and complications of ablative techniques for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia, from the development of electronic databases, and to evaluate them with predefined quality criteria. METHODS Inclusion criteria for the outcome analysis included thorough demographic documentation, defined diagnostic and outcome criteria, a minimum of 30 patients treated and median/mean follow-up times of 12 months, not more than 20% of patients lost to follow-up monitoring, Kaplan-Meier actuarial analysis of individual procedures, less than 10% of patients retreated because of failure or early recurrence, and a minimal dose of 70 Gy for stereotactic radiosurgery. High-quality studies with no actuarial analysis were used for the evaluation of complications. RESULTS Of 175 studies identified, 9 could be used to evaluate rates of complete pain relief on a yearly basis and 22 could be used to evaluate complications. In mixed series, radiofrequency thermocoagulation offered higher rates of complete pain relief, compared with glycerol rhizolysis and stereotactic radiosurgery, although it demonstrated the greatest number of complications. CONCLUSION Radiofrequency thermocoagulation offers the highest rates of complete pain relief, although further data on balloon microcompression are required. It is essential that uniform outcome measures and actuarial methods be universally adopted for the reporting of surgical results. Randomized controlled trials are required to reliably evaluate new surgical techniques.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 70 (5) ◽  
pp. 1125-1134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew Bender ◽  
Gustavo Pradilla ◽  
Sachin Batra ◽  
Alfred See ◽  
Neal Bhutiani ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND: Percutaneous glycerol rhizotomy (GR) is used to treat trigeminal neuralgia (TN), with satisfactory pain relief lasting 2 to 3 years in most patients after the first intervention. The efficacy of subsequent GRs, however, has not been studied. OBJECTIVE: To compare the pain relief and durability achieved by the first GR with those obtained after subsequent GRs in a retrospective cohort of TN patients. METHODS: Between 1998 and 2010, 548 patients with TN underwent 708 GRs. After exclusions, 430 initial GRs (GR1) and 114 subsequent GRs (GR2+) were compared in terms of initial pain relief, durability, sensory change, and complications. Durability was assessed by determining median time to treatment failure for all GRs achieving complete pain relief without medications (n = 375: 264 failures, 111 censored). Predictors of initial pain relief were assessed by logistic regression, and predictors of failure were assessed by Cox regression analysis. RESULTS: After GR1, pain relief results were as follows: 285 patients (66%) were pain free without medications, 26 (6%) were pain free with medications, 66 (15%) improved, and 53 (12%) were unchanged. After GR2+, results were as follows: 90 patients (79%) were pain free without medications, 6 (5%) were pain free with medications, 7 (6%) improved, and 11 (10%) were unchanged (P = .03). Median time to treatment failure was 26 months after GR1 and 25 months after GR2+ (P = .34). On multivariate analysis, prior GR was a positive predictor of initial pain relief (odds ratio, 2.067; 95% confidence interval, 1.243-3.437; P = .005) and had no effect on durability. CONCLUSION: TN patients experienced greater pain relief and equivalent durability after GR2+ beyond the initial treatment.


2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (22;5) ◽  
pp. E467-E475
Author(s):  
Luo Fang

Background: Percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation (PRFT) has been widely used to treat trigeminal neuralgia. By querying MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library, no study has reported the long-term outcome of PRFT for tumor-related trigeminal neuralgia (TRTN). Objectives: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of PRFT as an alternative treatment for TRTN. Study Design: A retrospective study. Setting: The interventional pain management center in Beijing Tiantan hospital. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data of all patients who underwent PRFT applied to the Gasserian ganglion under computed tomography guidance for TRTN through a combination of available institutional electronic medical records, patient notes, and radiologic images. Results: Among 38 patients with PRFT treated between March 2007 and February 2018, 13 patients were men and 25 were women. All patients were evaluated as modified Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) IV-V before the operation and had a total symptom duration of 45.55 ± 23.31 months. The mean operation duration was 59.63 ± 16.89 minutes. All patients experienced satisfactory pain relief defined as a classification of BNI I-IIIb within 3 days after PRFT. The median remission length with satisfactory pain relief was 33 (range, 4-132) months. No serious intraoperative complications, except bradycardia in 6 patients, were recorded. Postprocedure complications, including masticatory muscle weakness, were reported in 5 patients. Although all 38 patients experienced facial dysesthesia, the patients’ Likert scale rating represented that quality of life significantly increased after the procedure. Limitations: The small sample size may have unavoidably caused selection bias in our study. Larger prospective, randomized, multicenter trials are necessary to validate our outcomes. Conclusions: PRFT is an effective and safe treatment that should be considered as an alternative for pain control in the treatment of TRTN. Key words: Pain, secondary trigeminal neuralgia, radiofrequency thermocoagulation, trigeminal neuralgia


2002 ◽  
Vol 97 ◽  
pp. 529-532 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Leland Rogers ◽  
Andrew G. Shetter ◽  
Francisco A. Ponce ◽  
Jeffrey A. Fiedler ◽  
Kris A. Smith ◽  
...  

Object. The authors assessed the efficacy and complications from gamma knife radiosurgery (GKS) for multiple sclerosis (MS)-associated trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Methods. There were 15 patients with MS-associated TN (MS—TN). Treatment involved three sequential protocols, 70 to 90-Gy maximum dose, using a single 4-mm isocenter targeting the ipsilateral trigeminal nerve at its junction with the pons with the 50% isodose. Pain was appraised by each patient by using Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) Scores I through IV: I, no pain; II, occasional pain not requiring medication; IIIa, no pain but continued medication; IIIb, some pain, controlled with medication; IV, some pain, not controlled with medication; and V, severe pain/no pain relief. With a mean follow up of 17 months (range 6–38 months), 12 (80%) of 15 patients experienced pain relief. Three patients (20%) reported no relief (BNI Score V). For responders, the mean latency from treatment to the onset of pain relief was 13 days (range 1–61 days). Maximal relief was achieved after a mean latency of 56 days (range 1–157 days). Five patients underwent a second GKS after a mean interval of 534 days (range 231–946 days). The mean maximum dose at this second treatment was 48 Gy. The target was unchanged from the first treatment. All five patients who underwent repeated GKS improved. Complications were limited to delayed facial hypesthesias. Two (13%) of 15 patients experienced onset of numbness after the first GKS, as well as two of five patients following a second GKS. The patients found this mild and not bothersome. Each patient who developed hypesthesias also experienced complete pain relief. Conclusions. Gamma knife radiosurgery is an effective treatment for MS—TN. Radiosurgery carries an acceptable small risk of mild facial hypesthesias, and hypesthesia appears predictive of a favorable outcome.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Jenny C. Kienzler ◽  
Stephen Tenn ◽  
Srinivas Chivukula ◽  
Fang-I Chu ◽  
Hiro D. Sparks ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVE Precise and accurate targeting is critical to optimize outcomes after stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for trigeminal neuralgia (TN). The aim of this study was to compare the outcomes after SRS for TN in which two different techniques were used: mask-based 4-mm cone versus frame-based 5-mm cone. METHODS The authors performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent SRS for TN at their institution between 1996 and 2019. The Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) pain score and facial hypesthesia scale were used to evaluate pain relief and facial numbness. RESULTS A total of 234 patients were included in this study; the mean age was 67 years. In 97 patients (41.5%) radiation was collimated by a mask-based 4-mm cone, whereas a frame-based 5-mm cone was used in the remaining 137 patients (58.5%). The initial adequate pain control rate (BNI I–III) was 93.4% in the frame-based 5-mm group, compared to 87.6% in the mask-based 4-mm group. This difference between groups lasted, with an adequate pain control rate at ≥ 24 months of 89.9% and 77.8%, respectively. Pain relief was significantly different between groups from initial response until the last follow-up (≥ 24 months, p = 0.02). A new, permanent facial hypesthesia occurred in 30.3% of patients (33.6% in the frame-based 5-mm group vs 25.8% in the mask-based 4-mm group). However, no significant association between the BNI facial hypesthesia score and groups was found. Pain recurrence occurred earlier (median time to recurrence 12 months vs 29 months, p = 0.016) and more frequently (38.1% vs 20.4%, p = 0.003) in the mask-based 4-mm than in the frame-based 5-mm group. CONCLUSIONS Frame-based 5-mm collimator SRS for TN resulted in a better long-term pain relief with similar toxicity profiles to that seen with mask-based 4-mm collimator SRS.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 56 (3) ◽  
pp. 537-545 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gwynedd E. Pickett ◽  
Deborah Bisnaire ◽  
Gary G. Ferguson

Abstract OBJECTIVE: Patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have a relatively high incidence of tic douloureux (TD) and often do not tolerate medical therapy well. The minimally invasive nature of percutaneous retrogasserian glycerol rhizotomy (PRGR) renders it ideal for first-line surgical treatment of TD. We sought to ascertain the benefits of PRGR in patients with MS and to determine whether hypalgesia after PRGR correlates with efficacy. METHODS: We assessed 97 glycerol procedures performed in 53 patients followed prospectively for treatment of TD associated with MS. Factors assessed included degree of pain relief, postoperative hypalgesia, procedural morbidity, medication use, time to pain recurrence, and number and type of subsequent procedures. RESULTS: Complete pain relief was obtained in 78% of patients after the initial glycerol injection, and partial relief was obtained in 13% of patients. Long-term follow-up (mean, 81 mo) demonstrated a recurrence rate of 59%, with a mean time to recurrence of 17 months. Actuarial recurrence rates were 50% at 12 months and 60% at 24 months. Twenty-four patients underwent a second or subsequent PRGR for recurrent pain and achieved similar rates of pain relief and time to recurrence. Facial sensory loss was associated with a higher likelihood of pain relief (P &lt; 0.05), with longer time to pain recurrence (P &lt; 0.05), and with decreased use of medication after surgery (P &lt; 0.01.) CONCLUSION: PRGR is an effective, low-morbidity surgical procedure in the management of TD complicating MS. The presence of facial sensory loss after PRGR is associated with prolonged efficacy.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document