title: Glossopharyngeal neuralgia associated with cardiac syncope: Two case reports and literature review.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vago-glossopharyngeal neuralgia is an unusual clinical syndrome characterized by paroxysms of sharp pain in the distribution of glossopharyngeal nerve. Rarely the condition is associated with arrhythmia and cardiac syncope, a phenomenon named vagoglossopharyngeal neuralgia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here we present two patients with glosopharyngeal neuralgia associated with repetitive episodes of syncope referred from their primary care physician to neurosurgery department of a general hospital in Crete, Greece. The patients were successfully treated with microvascular decompression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A literature review on pathogenesis, diagnosis and management is also performed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surgeons as well as primary care physicians have to be aware of this rare condition in order to prevent associated life-threatening complications and improve patient's clinical status with accurate therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Saint George General Hospital of Chania, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Antonios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krasoudakis
authors.affiliation: Primary Health Care Centre of Kissamos, Chania, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitrios
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Anyfantakis
authors.affiliation: Saint George General Hospital of Chania, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Athanasios
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hadjipetrou
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery, Saint George General Hospital of Chania, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Miltiades
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kastanakis
authors.affiliation: Private Family Practice Unit, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Emmanouil K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Symvoulakis
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Saint George General Hospital of Chania, Crete, Greece.
authors.forename: Stavros
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marathianos
keywords: Cardiac syncope; Glosopharyngeal neuralgia; Management; Pathogenesis