title: Occipital neuralgia treated by intradural dorsal nerve root sectioning.
abstract: The term occipital neuralgia was first used in 1821 to describe a characteristic pain in the region innervated by the greater occipital nerve. Since that time numerous authors have failed to reach a consensus concerning the presentation, cause, and treatment of this entity. Review of these previous works reveals that the term occipital neuralgia encompasses a collection of signs and symptoms which develop secondary to a variety of different disease processes. We have treated nine patients suffering from severe occipital pain with associated C2 hypesthesia, unilateral retro-orbital pain, and occipital or C2 tubercle trigger points by intradurally sectioning the C1-C4 dorsal rootlets (C4 if shoulder pain existed). All patients had been treated previously with various modalities without success. This paper discusses the results obtained in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Horowitz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yonas
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000601:surgery*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000150:complications