| Percutaneous Balloon Compression for the Treatment of Idiopathic Trigeminal Neuralgia |
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Sung Eun Jung, Myung Ki Lee, Seong Hyuk Hwang, June Woo Park, Jae Eon Lee, Chang Weon Cho, Dae Jo Kim |
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Department of Neurosurgery, Maryknoll General Hospital, Busan, Korea |
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| Abstract |
Objective
The aim of this study is to report the surgical results of 27 patients with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia treated by percutaneous ballooning compression (PBC) under brief general anesthesia.
Methods
The mean patient age was 64.7 years (range, 27-80). The mean follow-up period was 22 months (range, 2-54).Seven patients had previously undergone percutaneous procedures including peripheral alcohol block (2 patients), radiofreqnency rhizotomy (3 patients), PBC (2 patients). Three patients had already received microvascular decompression. The balloon was inflated by injecting radio-contrast media 0.7-1cc in amount. The mean inflating time is 87 seconds (range, 60-120).
Results
During the procedure, brief intraoperative bradycardia and hypotension were noted in nine cases (36.7%). All patients had immediate relief of pain except 2 case. 25 cases (94.5%) of patients were satisfied or very satisfied with their pain relief. There was immediate, mild to moderate sensory complication of hypesthesia, dysesthesia or paraesthesia in all cases, the immediate motor complication-difficulty of mastication in 5 cases, transient 6th nerve palsy in 2 cases. The immediate motor and sensory complications disappeared or much improved after 3-4 months. None of the patients had either anesthesia or an absent corneal reflex.
Conclusion
It is the simple technique that can be performed effectively in a brief period of general anesthesia. It has a low risk of causing severe hypesthesia, and is not asoociated with anesthesia dolorsa. This procedure might be one of attractive methods in the treatment of idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia. |
| Key Words:
Idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia, Percutaneous ballooning compression. |
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