title: Treatment of severe trigeminal headache in patients with pituitary adenomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The incidence of headache in patients with pituitary adenomas is high, and the underlying pathological mechanisms are not completely understood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We tested the efficacy of percutaneous ganglion block and trigeminal rhizotomy in the treatment of severe trigeminal/autonomic headache associated with pituitary tumors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven patients treated surgically for pituitary adenomas in whom intractable trigeminal headaches developed were enrolled in the study and underwent ictal cerebral single-photon emission computed tomography before starting treatment. Initially, all patients underwent a 6-month medical treatment trial. Patients who did not experience improvement in headache severity, addressed by the Headache Impact Test-6 scale, underwent trigeminal percutaneous ganglion blockade. Two patients subsequently underwent trigeminal balloon rhizotomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 11 patients, 6 did not have improved Headache Impact Test-6 scale scores after 6 months of treatment with medications and underwent trigeminal ganglion blockade. Significant improvement in headache severity was noted in 3 of them. Long-term response was obtained in 1 patient, and the other 2, in whom the response was transient, were then successfully treated with trigeminal rhizotomy. Cerebral single-photon emission computed tomography showed increased uptake in the thalamus/hypothalamus region in patients who responded well to manipulation of the trigeminal-hypothalamic system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Percutaneous ganglion blockade and trigeminal rhizotomy may be promising alternative options for the treatment of severe headache in selected patients with pituitary adenomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital of Brasília, Brasilia, Brazil. tmosca@gmail.com
authors.forename: Tiago da Silva
authors.initials: Tda S
authors.lastname: Freitas
authors.forename: Ivan Coelho
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Aldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pereira Neto
authors.forename: Oswaldo R M
authors.initials: OR
authors.lastname: Neto
authors.forename: Gustavo do Vale
authors.initials: Gdo V
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: Luis Augusto Casulari Roxo
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: da Mota
authors.forename: Luciana Ansaneli
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Naves
authors.forename: Monalisa F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Azevedo
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020433:Trigeminal Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*