Frequency of postoperative complications after balloon compression for idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia: prospective study.
BACKGROUND
Idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (ITN) is often treated with balloon compression, considered in the literature to be a safer and more efficient procedure than other surgeries, with a high success rate.


METHODS
This study evaluated 105 patients with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia who underwent balloon compression of the trigeminal ganglion, with a follow-up of 210 days, and clinical questionnaires and a systematic physical evaluation used as instruments.


RESULTS
There was a significant decrease in the shock-like complaint (P < .001), although 66.3% still experienced pain after 7 days of surgery from other causes; 50.5% presented limitation during jaw activities. Other complaints were hearing, taste and/or smelling loss, and visual difficulties. One patient had a TMJ ankylosis and needed surgical TMJ treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Although neurosurgery in the treatment of severe ITN pain is known to provide relief and its importance is recognized, there may also be severe complications that could compromise habitual tasks to various degrees. Therefore, the patient needs to be alerted about all complaints that he or she might present after the procedure. The professional has a duty to correctly inform and alert every patient under his or her care.
de Siqueira
Silvia Regina Dowgan Tesseroli
SR
Dentistry Division, Hospital das Clínicas, Medical School, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. silviadowgan@hotmail.com <silviadowgan@hotmail.com>
da Nóbrega
José Cláudio Marinho
JC
de Siqueira
José Tadeu Tesseroli
JT
Teixeira
Manoel Jacobsen
MJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002404:Catheterization / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003769:Dental Occlusion, Traumatic / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019226:Oral Ulcer / Q000209:etiology; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013283:Stomatitis, Herpetic / Q000209:etiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D012668:Trigeminal Ganglion / Q000601:surgery*; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000628:therapy*