Internal Neurolysis (Nerve Combing) for Trigeminal Neuralgia without Neurovascular Compression

Objective The aim of the present study was to describe and evaluate the initial and the long-term clinical outcome of internal neurolysis (IN) for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) without neurovascular compression (NVC). Methods A total of 170 patients diagnosed with TN were treated by posterior fossa exploration, during the period between April 2012 and October 2019. The patients were divided into two groups: Group A (50 patients)was treated by IN and Group B (120 patients) received microvascular decompression (MVD). Surgical outcomes and postoperative complications were compared between the two groups. Pain intensity was assessed by the Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) pain intensity score and BNI facial numbness score. Pain recurrence was statistically evaluated with Kaplan-Meier analysis. Results Pain was completely relieved in 44 patients (88%) who underwent IN (group A); 3 (6%) experienced occasional pain but did not require medication (BNI 2). In group B, 113 (94%) experienced immediate pain relief after MVD. The median duration of follow-ups was 4 years (6 months to 7.5 years). In Group A, there was a meantime recurrence of 27 months in 3 patients (6%). The recurrence in Group B was of 5.8% during the follow-up period. There were no statistically significant differences in the surgical outcomes between the two groups. All patients with IN experienced some degree of numbness, 88% of the cases resolved in 6 months, on average. Conclusion Internal neurolysis is an effective, safe and durable treatment option for trigeminal neuralgia when NVC is absent.

Comparison of nerve combing and percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation in the treatment for idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia / Comparação entre neurólise interna e termocoagulação percutânea por radiofrequência no tratamento da neuralgia idiopática do trigêmeo

ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION: Idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (ITN) is a common pain disease in elderly people. Many methods have been used to alleviate the pain of patients, but few studies in the literature have compared the effect of nerve combing and percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe and evaluate the clinical outcome of idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia after nerve combing (NC) and compare them with those obtained using percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RF). METHODS: The study included 105 idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia patients with similar symptom, age and underlying disease, which were divided into two groups. One group was treated by nerve combing (50 patients), the other by RF (55 cases). All patients were considered medical failures prior to the surgeries. A questionnaire was used to assess the long-term outcomes: pain relief, recurrence, complication and need for additional treatment. RESULTS: The median duration of follow-up in both groups was 90 months. Satisfactory relief was noted in 41 patients (82%), 5 patients (10%) initially experienced pain relief, then recurred, and four patients (8%) were designated poor among the group NC. In the group RF, satisfactory relief was noted in 42 patients (76.4%). There were eight "pain free with recurrence patients (14.5%) and 5 poor cases (9.1%). No statistically significant differences existed in the outcomes between both groups (p > 0.05). Postoperative morbidity included dysesthesia, diplopia, partial facial nerve palsy, hearing loss, tinnitus, cerebrospinal fluid leak, meningitis and mortality. CONCLUSION: Nerve combing and RF are both satisfactory treatment strategies for patients with ITN. Because of the higher risk of sensory morbidity and surgical risk as open surgery, RF is preferred as the recommended procedure for patients with ITN.

Resumo Introdução: A neuralgia idiopática do trigêmeo (NIT) é uma condição dolorosa comum em idosos. Muitos métodos têm sido usados para aliviar a dor dos pacientes, mas poucos estudos na literatura compararam o efeito de neurólise interna e termocoagulação percutânea por radiofrequência. Objetivo: O objetivo desse estudo foi descrever e avaliar o desfecho clínico de pacientes com neuralgia idiopática do trigêmeo após neurólise interna (NI) e compará-los com os obtidos usando termocoagulação percutânea por radiofrequência (RF). Método: O estudo incluiu 105 pacientes com NIT com sintomas, idade e doenças de base semelhantes, que foram divididos em dois grupos. Um grupo foi tratado por neurólise interna (50 pacientes) e o outro por RF (55 casos). Todos os pacientes haviam sido considerados fracassos terapêuticos antes das cirurgias. Um questionário foi utilizado para avaliar os resultados a longo prazo: alívio da dor, recorrência, complicações e necessidade de tratamento adicional. Resultados: A duração média do acompanhamento foi de 90 meses em ambos os grupos. Alívio satisfatório foi observado em 41 pacientes (82%); cinco pacientes (10%) experimentaram alívio inicial da dor, porém seguido de recrudescimento, e quatro pacientes (8%) apresentaram desfecho desfavorável no grupo NI. No grupo de RF, alívio satisfatório foi observado em 42 pacientes (76,4%). Houve oito pacientes livres de dor, com recorrência ''LDR'' (14,5%) e cinco casos com desfecho desfavorável (9,1%). Não houve diferenças significantes nos resultados entre os dois grupos (p > 0,05). Morbidade pós-operatória incluiu disestesia, diplopia, paralisia parcial do nervo facial, perda auditiva, tinnitus, fístula liquórica, meningite e óbito. Conclusão: Neurólise interna e RF são estratégias satisfatórias de tratamento para os pacientes com NIT. Em decorrência da maior morbidade sensorial e maior risco cirúrgico em uma cirurgia aberta, a RF é o procedimento mais indicado para pacientes com NIT.