title: Peripheral trigeminal nerve field stimulation: report of 6 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Peripheral nerve field stimulation has been successfully used for many neuropathic syndromes. However, it has been reported as a treatment for trigeminal neuropathic pain or persistent idiopathic facial pain only in the recent years.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors present a review of the literature and their own series of 6 patients who were treated with peripheral nerve stimulation for facial neuropathic pain, reporting excellent pain relief and subsequent better social relations and quality of life.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On average, pain scores in these patients decreased from 10 to 2.7 on the visual analog scale during a 17-month follow-up (range 0-32 months). The authors also observed the ability to decrease trigeminal pain with occipital nerve stimulation, clinically confirming the previously reported existence of a close anatomical connection between the trigeminal and occipital nerves (trigeminocervical nucleus).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peripheral nerve field stimulation of the trigeminal and occipital nerves is a safe and effective treatment for trigeminal neuropathic pain and persistent idiopathic facial pain, when patients are strictly selected and electrodes are correctly placed under the hyperalgesia strip at the periphery of the allodynia region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Treviso Hospital, University of Padova, 31100 Treviso, Italy. alberto.feletti@gmail.com
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Feletti
authors.forename: Giannantonio Zanata
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Santi
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sammartino
authors.forename: Marzio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bevilacqua
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cisotto
authors.forename: Pierluigi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Longatti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005157:Facial Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000502:physiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014276:Trigeminal Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult