[Surgery for primary trigeminal maxillary neuralgia under transnasal endoscope].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the feasibility of endoscopic surgery for primary trigeminal neuralgia, and to evaluate its advantages and disadvantages.


METHODS
Fifteen patients diagnosed as primary trigeminal neuralgia were included in this study. All of them had maxillary neuralgia, concurrently with 8 ophthalmic neuralgia and 2 mandibular neuralgia. The median course of disease was 4 years. The surgeries were performed by transnasal endoscope, through sphenopalatine foramen, into the pterygopalatine fossa, to find rotundum foramen, and then coagulated and cut the maxillary nerve. Post-operative evaluation was done based on Brisman R' s way. The post-operative improvement of symptom was compared with preoperative symptom, and the complications of this operation were observed.


RESULTS
The follow-up time was 6 months to 16 months, with the median time of 13 months. Thirteen patients were cured, 2 patients had effective outcome. Seven months after operation, 1 patient appeared supraorbital neuralgia. After the radiofrequency operation, the pain was improved. All of the patients had no serious complications and no subjective discomfort of nose and eyes.


CONCLUSIONS
The surgery for primary maxillary neuralgia under transnasal endoscope had a direct way to rotundum foramen, with clear operative vision. It is a minimally invasive surgery, it can minimize the serious complications. The primary curative effect is confirmed.
Huang
Ruo-Fei
RF
Otorhinolaryngology Hospital and Institute of the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China.
Zhang
Xiang-Min
XM
Wen
Wei-Ping
WP
Wang
Dong-Fang
DF
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008437:Maxilla / Q000294:innervation; D008875:Middle Aged; D009666:Nose / Q000601:surgery*; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000601:surgery*