title: Motor cortex stimulation for trigeminal neuropathic or deafferentation pain: an institutional case series experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Trigeminal neuropathy is a rare, devastating condition that can be intractable and resistant to treatment. When medical treatment fails, invasive options are limited. Motor cortex stimulation (MCS) is a relatively recent technique introduced to treat central neuropathic pain. The use of MCS to treat trigeminal neuropathic or deafferentation pain is not widespread and clinical data in the medical literature that demonstrate efficacy are limited.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively reviewed patients with trigeminal neuropathic or trigeminal deafferentation pain who were treated at the Oregon Health & Science University between 2001 and 2008 by 1 neurosurgeon using MCS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight of 11 patients (3 male, 8 female) underwent successful permanent implantation of an MCS system. All 8 patients reported initial satisfactory pain control. Three failed to experience continued pain control (6 months of follow-up). Five continued to experience long-term pain control (mean follow-up, 33 months). Average programming sessions were 2.2/year (all 8 patients) and 1.55/year (5 patients who sustained long-term pain control). Patients with anesthesia dolorosa or trigeminal deafferentation pain who had previously undergone ablative trigeminal procedures responded poorly to MCS. We encountered no perioperative complications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MCS is a safe and potentially effective therapy in certain patients with trigeminal neuropathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
authors.forename: Ahmed M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Raslan
authors.forename: Morad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nasseri
authors.forename: Diaa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bahgat
authors.forename: Emun
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abdu
authors.forename: Kim J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Burchiel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002422:Causalgia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D058542:Implantable Neurostimulators; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D009437:Neuralgia / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014276:Trigeminal Nerve; D020433:Trigeminal Nerve Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy