An evaluation of sensory changes and pain relief in trigeminal neuralgia following intracranial microvascular decompression and/or trigeminal glycerol rhizotomy.
Nineteen patients with trigeminal neuralgia were treated with either trigeminal ganglion glycerolysis or glycerolysis and intracranial microvascular decompression. All had a good degree of pain relief. Of those receiving glycerol alone (group A), 50% subjectively reported a mild reduction of fine tactile sensation. A similar response was reported by those treated with both glycerol and decompression (group B). The degree of sensory loss was so mild that thermal testing was useless as a discriminatory tool. The degree of sensory loss was not greater when both surgical procedures were performed than when the less-invasive trigeminal ganglion glycerolysis alone was used.
Campbell
R L
RL
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Anesthesiology, Medical College of Virginia, Richmond 23298-0566.
Trentacosti
C D
CD
Eschenroeder
T A
TA
Harkins
S W
SW
D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005990:Glycerol; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000601:surgery; D010292:Paresthesia / Q000503:physiopathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D012684:Sensory Thresholds; D012803:Sick Role; D013563:Sympathectomy, Chemical; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy
D005990:Glycerol