Radiosurgery for Trigeminal Neuralgia

Author(s):  
Daivik B. Vyas ◽  
Lily H. Kim ◽  
Allen Ho ◽  
Eric S. Sussman ◽  
Arjun V. Pendharkar ◽  
...  

Trigeminal neuralgia is a debilitating neuropathic condition characterized by recurrent paroxysms of shock-like pain across the distribution of the trigeminal nerve, often brought on by innocuous stimuli. Available therapies presently include symptomatic management using anti-convulsant drugs and invasive surgical procedures to target the pathogenic drivers of disease or ablate the trigeminal nerve. Radiosurgery is a treatment modality that offers a minimally invasive, low-risk alternative that has promising clinical utility in the management of refractory trigeminal neuralgia. Radiosurgical approaches like Gamma Knife (GKS) and Cyberknife (CK) utilize image-guided, algorithm-defined dose contouring to disrupt pathogenic pain signaling by delivering targeted amounts of radiation along different points on the trigeminal nerve. This chapter reviews the structure of radiotherapy paradigms, treatment protocol, major outcomes, associated risks, relative clinical utility, and areas of further research that underlie the use of CK and GKS in managing trigeminal neuralgia.

Neurosurgery ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 83 (5) ◽  
pp. 1023-1030 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pantaleo Romanelli ◽  
Alfredo Conti ◽  
Livia Bianchi ◽  
Achille Bergantin ◽  
Anna Martinotti ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND Frameless, non-isocentric irradiation of an extended segment of the trigeminal nerve introduces new concepts in stereotactic radiosurgery for medically resistant trigeminal neuralgia (TN). OBJECTIVE To report the results of the largest single-center experience about image-guided robotic radiosurgery for TN. METHODS A cohort of 138 patients treated with CyberKnife® (Accuray Incorporated, Sunnyvale, California) radiosurgery with a minimum follow-up of 36 mo were recruited. Pain relief, medications, sensory disturbances, rate and time of pain recurrence were prospectively analyzed. RESULTS Median follow-up was 52.4 mo; median dose 75 Gy; median target length 5.7-mm; median target volume 40 mm³; median prescription dose 60 Gy (80% isodose line). Actuarial pain control rate (Barrow Neurological Institute [BNI] class I-IIIa) at 6, 12, 24, and 36 mo were 93.5%, 85.8%, 79.7%, and 76%, respectively. Overall, 33 patients (24%) required a second treatment. Overall, 18.1% developed sensory disturbances after 16.4 ± 8.7 mo. One patient (0.7%) developed BNI grade IV dysfunction; 6 (4.3%) developed BNI grade III (somewhat bothersome) hypoesthesia after retreatment; BNI grade II (not bothersome) hypoesthesia was reported by 18 patients (11 after retreatment). Shorter nerve length (<6 mm vs 6 mm), smaller nerve volume (<30 mm3 vs >30 mm3), and lower prescription dose (<58 vs >58 Gy) were associated with treatment failure (P = .01, P = .02, P = .03, respectively). Re-irradiation independently predicted sensory disturbance (P < .001). CONCLUSION Targeting a 6-mm segment of the trigeminal nerve with a prescribed dose of 60 Gy appears safe and effective. Persistent pain control was achieved in most patients with acceptable risk of sensory complications, which were typically found after re-irradiation.


Author(s):  
Alexander B. Dru ◽  
Hasan A. Zaidi ◽  
Andrew G. Shetter

In this chapter, the authors discuss the use of glycerol rhizotomy (GR) as a treatment modality for trigeminal neuralgia. GR was first described by Håkanson and has been used for more than 40 years as a minimally invasive, safe option for the management of facial pain. Here, the authors discuss the history behind the discovery of GR, relevant biochemical mechanisms of neurolysis, indications, a step-by-step procedural outline for GR and intraoperative cisternography, potential side effects, efficacy of treatment, and new applications for the imaging technique. GR has stood the test of time in neurosurgery, and this chapter demonstrates its utility in patients who are poor surgical candidates for microvascular decompression and for whom medical treatment has failed to manage their intractable pain.


Author(s):  
Sreekumar K ◽  
Athulya N B

Trigeminal neuralgia, otherwise known as suicidal disease is the severe and recurrent pain in the distribution of one or more branches of Trigeminal nerve. Patient usually presents with sharp electric shock like pain in face or mouth which lasts for seconds to minutes. This condition may lead the patient to a stage of depression and suicidal tendency. In ophthalmic neuralgia V1 branch of trigeminal nerve is affected where the pain can be interpreted as coming from nose, eyes and head in the areas around the scalp. The management involves anticonvulsants, antidepressants and surgical procedures. Vathaparyaya described by Acharyas shows a close similarity with ophthalmic neuralgia in which vitiated Vata causes pain in the areas of eyelashes and eyebrows. The management of Vataparya is given as same as that of the Vatabhishyanda. In present study, it is observed that Ayurvedic management has provided a significant reduction in intensity and frequency of pain.


2020 ◽  
Vol 133 (3) ◽  
pp. 727-735
Author(s):  
Peter Shih-Ping Hung ◽  
Sarasa Tohyama ◽  
Jia Y. Zhang ◽  
Mojgan Hodaie

OBJECTIVEGamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) is a noninvasive surgical treatment option for patients with medically refractive classic trigeminal neuralgia (TN). The long-term microstructural consequences of radiosurgery and their association with pain relief remain unclear. To better understand this topic, the authors used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to characterize the effects of GKRS on trigeminal nerve microstructure over multiple posttreatment time points.METHODSNinety-two sets of 3-T anatomical and diffusion-weighted MR images from 55 patients with TN treated by GKRS were divided within 6-, 12-, and 24-month posttreatment time points into responder and nonresponder subgroups (≥ 75% and < 75% reduction in posttreatment pain intensity, respectively). Within each subgroup, posttreatment pain intensity was then assessed against pretreatment levels and followed by DTI metric analyses, contrasting treated and contralateral control nerves to identify specific biomarkers of successful pain relief.RESULTSGKRS resulted in successful pain relief that was accompanied by asynchronous reductions in fractional anisotropy (FA), which maximized 24 months after treatment. While GKRS responders demonstrated significantly reduced FA within the radiosurgery target 12 and 24 months posttreatment (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively), nonresponders had statistically indistinguishable DTI metrics between nerve types at each time point.CONCLUSIONSUltimately, this study serves as the first step toward an improved understanding of the long-term microstructural effect of radiosurgery on TN. Given that FA reductions remained specific to responders and were absent in nonresponders up to 24 months posttreatment, FA changes have the potential of serving as temporally consistent biomarkers of optimal pain relief following radiosurgical treatment for classic TN.


2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. e000068
Author(s):  
Sonia Hur ◽  
Michael Tzeng ◽  
Eliza Cricco-Lizza ◽  
Spyridon Basourakos ◽  
Miko Yu ◽  
...  

ObjectivesPartial gland ablation (PGA) therapy is an emerging treatment modality that targets specific areas of biopsy-proven prostate cancer (PCa) to minimize treatment-related morbidity by sparing benign prostate. This qualitative study aims to explore and characterize perceptions and attitudes toward PGA in men with very-low-risk, low-risk, and favorable intermediate-risk PCa on active surveillance (AS).Design92 men diagnosed with very-low-risk, low-risk, and favorable intermediate-risk PCa on AS were invited to participate in semistructured telephone interviews on PGA.SettingSingle tertiary care center located in New York City.Participants20 men with very-low-risk, low-risk, and favorable intermediate-risk PCa on AS participated in the interviews.Main outcome measuresEmerging themes on perceptions and attitudes toward PGA were developed from transcripts inductively coded and analyzed under standardized methodology.ResultsFour themes were derived from 20 interviews that represent the primary considerations in treatment decision-making: (1) the feeling of psychological safety associated with low-risk disease; (2) preference for minimally invasive treatments; (3) the central role of the physician; (4) and the pursuit of treatment options that align with disease severity. Eleven men (55%) expressed interest in pursuing PGA only if their cancer were to progress, while nine men (45%) expressed interest at the current moment.ConclusionsAlthough an emerging treatment modality, patients were broadly accepting of PGA for PCa, with men primarily debating the risks versus benefits of proactively treating low-risk disease. Additional research on men’s preferences and attitudes toward PGA will further guide counseling and shared decision-making for PGA.


2021 ◽  
pp. 028418512098397
Author(s):  
Yufei Zhao ◽  
Jianhua Chen ◽  
Rifeng Jiang ◽  
Xue Xu ◽  
Lin Lin ◽  
...  

Background Multiple neurovascular contacts in patients with vascular compressive trigeminal neuralgia often challenge the diagnosis of responsible contacts. Purpose To analyze the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of responsible contacts and establish a predictive model to accurately pinpoint the responsible contacts. Material and Methods Sixty-seven patients with unilateral trigeminal neuralgia were enrolled. A total of 153 definite contacts (45 responsible, 108 non-responsible) were analyzed for their MRI characteristics, including neurovascular compression (NVC) grading, distance from pons to contact (Dpons-contact), vascular origin of compressing vessels, diameter of vessel (Dvessel) and trigeminal nerve (Dtrigeminal nerve) at contact. The MRI characteristics of the responsible and non-responsible contacts were compared, and their diagnostic efficiencies were further evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The significant MRI features were incorporated into the logistics regression analysis to build a predictive model for responsible contacts. Results Compared with non-responsible contacts, NVC grading and arterial compression ratio (84.44%) were significantly higher, Dpons-contact was significantly lower at responsible contacts ( P < 0.001, 0.002, and 0.033, respectively). NVC grading had a highest diagnostic area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.742, with a sensitivity of 64.44% and specificity of 75.00%. The logistic regression model showed a higher diagnostic efficiency, with an AUC of 0.808, sensitivity of 88.89%, and specificity of 62.04%. Conclusion Contact degree and position are important MRI features in identifying the responsible contacts of the trigeminal neuralgia. The logistic predictive model based on Dpons-contact, NVC grading, and vascular origin can qualitatively improve the prediction of responsible contacts for radiologists.


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