RESUMO
Radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT) of the gasserian ganglion is a routine and effective technique for the treatment of classical trigeminal neuralgia (CTN). In this study we compared its efficacy in patients with CTN and atypically symptomatic or mixed trigeminal neuralgia (MTN). Fifty-seven patients were treated with RFT for trigeminal neuralgia from June 2006 to February 2009. Thirty patients had CTN, and 27 had MTN. Outcomes were measured by using the visual analog pain scale (VAS) and patients' reports of quality of life (QOL), medication usage, and complications over a follow-up period of up to 3 years. Our results showed that the patients with MTN were younger, tended to have bilaterial involvement of the first division, and were unresponsive to treatment. All surgeries were completed smoothly. About 86.7% CTN patients and 48.1% MTN patients responded immediately to RFT. The VAS scores were significantly higher in the CTN group than in MTN group (P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier curves showed that 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year pain relief rates were 76.7%, 73.3%, and 73.3% in the CTN group and 46.6%, 41.4%, and 41.4% in the MTN group, respectively. The rates of pain relief for both groups leveled off at 2 years. Complications included numbness, dysesthesia, and anesthesia dolorosa. RFT did not cause any deaths and complications were low. The treatment was very effective for CTN and, to some degrees, effective for MTN. If numbness, dysesthesia, and anesthesia dolorosa are limited to the trigger area, QOL will be greatly improved.
RESUMO
Radiofrequency thermocoagulation technique,as a maturity procedure,has been used routinely for trigeminal neuralgia.Radiofrequency thermocoagulation has high rates of pain relief,a long duration of pain relief,and few serious perioperative complications.This technique very suits for old patients or patients with cardiovascular diseases.The common complications include numbness,absence of corneal reflex,and master weakness.Keratitis,dysesthesia and dolorosa greatly affect patients’ quality of life.Radiofrequency thermocoagulation is an effective and promising method in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.Practitioner should pay attention to pain relief and reducing complications and this will help to improve their quality of life.
RESUMO
Result of the present study showed that Anoectochilus roxburghii (Wall. )I,indl. is the genuine speciescurrently used as folk medicine, while A, formosanus Hayata. is a different species with the same name ofJinxianlian. trhe distribution and ecological environment of Jinxianlian were described and an index of eightspecies of Anoectochilus Bl. were listed to distinguish their maln eharacteristic differences.