Cost-benefit analysis of different surgical methods in patients with trigeminal neuralgia / 重庆医学

Objective To analyze the cost-benefit ratio of primary trigeminal neuralgia patients with bad drug control and never accepted the surgical treatment through surgery [including microvascular decompression (MVD) ,percutaneous radiofrequency rhizotomy (RFR) ,stereotactic radiotherapy (SRS)] .Methods A total of 89 patients with primary trigeminal neuralgia who under-went surgical treatment for the first time from 2005 to 2013 were enrolled in this study ,including 27 patients with MVD ,23 patients with RFR and 39 patients with SRS .Evaluation criteria (effect factors) include facial pain (excellent :no pain and no drug treat-ment ;good :no pain but medication ;worse:less than 50% of patients with pain ;worse:more than 50% of patients with facial pain or need to undergo secondary surgery ) ,numbness ,cost and .Results The mean age of the patients treated with MVD was (50 .4 ± 14 .3)years old ,RFR was(73 .2 ± 13 .6) years old SRS was (72 .6 ± 11 .8) years old ,MVD group was younger than RFR and SRS group(P<0 .05);The average total cost of each surgical approach as follows :MVD was 50274 yuan ,RFR was 4539 yuan ,SRS was 38512 yuan (P<0 .05);The postoperative facial numbness proportion of MVD was 1 .1% ,RFR was 52 .2% and SRS was 28 .2% (P<0 .05);The ratio of patients who needed recurrent surgery in two years was MVD 26 .0% ,RFR 73 .9% and SRS 30 .7% (P<0 .05);The mean remission rate of MVD was 1 .6 years ,the RFR was 2 .1 years ,and the SRS was 1 .0 year(P<0 .05);The cost-benefit ratio of MVD was 31618 yuan ,RFR was 1982 yuan ,SRS was 39297 yuan(P<0 .05) .Conclusion The cost-ben-efit ratio of the three surgical from low to high were RFR ,MVD ,SRS ,which means the unit cost of RFR gain the highest ,followed by M VD and SRS .

Trigeminal Neuralgia and Neural Blockade / 한양의대학술지

Trigeminal neuralgia is characterized by recurrent episodes of intense lancinating pain affecting the face localized to the sensory supply areas of the trigeminal nerve. There is a lack of certainty regarding the etiology and pathophysiology of trigeminal neuralgia. The diagnosis of idiopathic typical trigeminal neuralgia requires the absence of clinically evident neurological deficit. Treatment must be individualized to each patient. Various trigeminal neural blockades can be options when medical therapy fails to relieve pain. Neural blockades include peripheral nerve branch blocks and intracranial nerve root or ganglion blocks such as RF thermocoagulation, percutaneous balloon compression and glycerol rhizolysis. Neural blockade with local anesthetics produces temporary effects, but neural blockade with neurolytics like alcohol lasts longer, around one or two years. They are very useful for patients with poor general condition or high risk. RF rhizotomy and balloon compression of trigeminal ganglion are relatively more invasive treatment options, but have more cost effectiveness with less serious complications compared to other surgical procedures. The continuous improvement of neural block techniques is necessary for better treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.

Comprasion of Effectiveness of CT vs C-arm Guided Percutaneous Radiofrequency Lumbar Facet Rhizotomy

BACKGROUND: Facet joint have been implicated as a source of chronic low back pain. Radiofrequency denervation has demonstrated the most solid evidence. To increase safety and efficacy of treatment, computed tomography (CT) guidance injection has been used in several disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of CT-guided radiofrequency rhizotomy in the treatment of facet joint pain. METHODS: A total of 40 patients were randomized to undergo radiofrequency facet joint denervation under CT guidance or C-arm guidance. All patients were examined visual analogue scale (VAS) score before treatment, 1 month, and 3 months after treatment. RESULTS: The VAS in both groups showed significant improvement over the 1-month interval. No significant difference in the VAS score among the group was observed. CONCLUSIONS: In this study there was no significant difference between CT guidance lumbar rhizotomy and C-arm guidance lumbar rhizotomy. Therefore CT-guided radiofrequency denervation of the lumbar facet joint was a minimally invasive technique that appears effective.

Radiofrequency rhizotomy in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia: A 12-year experience

This was a prospective case series of 95 consecutive patients with trigeminal neuralgia treated by the author over the last 12 years (November 1986 to November 1998) using radiofrequency rhizotomy as the surgical procedure. The procedure was evaluated in terms of its efficacy in pain relief, safety with regards to mortality and morbidity, and ease of application by way of successful access of the Gasserian ganglion for lesion making. Results showed that 94.7 per cent rate of immediate pain relief with a 5.3 per cent rate of immediate pain recurrence. Ninety per cent experienced excellent long term pain relief with a 20 per cent delayed recurrence rate. There was no mortality encountered. The morbidity rate was low, and included ipsilateral corneal anesthesia (8), mild masseter weakness (7) and dysesthesia (6).

Trigeminal Neuralgia in a Patient with Osteopetrosis: A Case Report

Osteopetrosis is a rare disease by a generalized increase in skeletal density and by abnormalities of bone modeling secondary to defective osteoclastic function with impairment of bone resorption. The various cranial nerve palsies may occur secondary to bony encroachment on the cranial foramina. The authors report a case of osteopetrosis with trigeminal neuralgia. This 30-year-old woman presented with the recurring attacks of severe lancinating paroxysmal pain on her right face(mandibular division>maxillary division>ophthalmic division) for 10 years and anosmia, both blindness for 20 years. Her foramen ovale and optic canal narrowings were caused by osteopetrosis. The neuralgia was refractory to medical treatment. Percutaneous radio-frequency rhizotomy for trigeminal neuralgia was performed and pain relief have been obtained. She was satisfied with the procedure, even if with facial numbness. In the case of trigeminal neuralgia in young patient without abnormal mass lesion on brain radiologic imaging studies, it is important to investigate the bony abnormalities of skull base. The authors believe that radiofrequency rhizotomy is the first choice of treatment for trigeminal neuralgia caused by the bony abnormalities of skull base such as osteopetrosis.

Surgical Tratment of Intractable Head and Neck Pain

Surgical treatment of 24 patients with chronic intractable pain from head and neck cancer was reviewed in the study. Pain relief is not expected with conventional treatments designed to control the primary disease in advanced head and neck cancer. Effectiveness of neurosurgical procedures such as radiofrequency trigeminal rhizotomy, posterior cervical rhizotomy and medullary tractotomy for relief of intractable cancer pain is emphasized in the paper. Trigeminal radiofrequency rhizotomy is the treatment of choice for relieving the uncontrollable pain in the facial area. Trigeminal rhizotomy and cervical rhizotomy or medullary tractotomy are helpful for facial pain extending into the neck. Glossopharyngeal rhizotomy is seldom used but is useful for pain in the pharynx.