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

ABSTRACT

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).