Olfactory threshold increase in trigeminal neuralgia after balloon compression.
Idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (ITN) is a well-known disease often treated with neurosurgical procedures, which may produce sensorial abnormalities, such as numbness, dysesthesia and taste complaints. We studied 12 patients that underwent this technique, in order to verify pain, gustative and olfactory thresholds abnormalities, with a follow-up of 120 days. We compared the patients with a matched control group of 12 patients. Our results found a significant difference in the olfactory threshold at the immediate post-operative period (p=0.048). We concluded that injured trigeminal fibers are probably associated with the increase in the olfactory threshold after the surgery, supporting the sensorial interaction theory.
Siqueira
S R D T
SR
Dentistry Division, Hospital das Clínicas, Medical School, University of São Paulo, SP, Brazil. silviadowgan@hotmail.com
Nóbrega
J C M
JC
Teixeira
M J
MJ
Siqueira
J T T
JT
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D002814:Chorda Tympani Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008442:Maxillary Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods*; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011312:Pressure; D012684:Sensory Thresholds / Q000502:physiology*; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D013650:Taste Buds / Q000503:physiopathology; D013652:Taste Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000503:physiopathology; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*