title: Long-term outcomes of percutaneous retrogasserian glycerol rhizotomy in 3370 patients with trigeminal neuralgia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the long-term outcomes of percutaneous retrogasserian glycerol rhizotomy (PRGR) in patients with medically unresponsive idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 3370 patients undergoing PRGR between 1983 and 2003 in our hospital were followed up for 13.1 years (range 3-23 years), and the outcomes were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 3370 patients, 99.58% had complete initial pain relief. A total of 2750 patients were followed up when 112 died of unrelated causes and 508 were lost to follow up. Of the 2750 patients, 962 (35%) had pain recurrence at various intervals: 0.3% in 1 year; 21% in 1 to 5 years; 7% in 5 to 10 years; 4% in 10 to 15 years and 3% in 15 to 23 years. The major complication was facial numbness, among which hypesthesia outweighed hypalgesia. Most patients recovered within half a year, although 109 patients (3.96%) developed permanent mild hypesthesia. There was no anesthesia dolorosa or surgery related mortality in this series.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PRGR is a minimally invasive and simple procedure yielding a favorable outcome for trigeminal neuralgia. The major complications of this procedure are reversible within various time intervals. It may serve as a first-line surgical modality for patients unresponsive to pharmacotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Surgery & Daping Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Department of Neurosurgery, Chongqing, China. kevin6811@yeah.net
authors.forename: Wang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu-Hui
authors.forename: Zhou
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.forename: Shen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guang-Jian
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Min-Hui
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guang-Xin
authors.forename: Zou
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yong-Wen
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lun-Shan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005990:Glycerol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011187:Posture; D012008:Recurrence; D019051:Rhizotomy / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000601:surgery*
chemical_list: D005990:Glycerol