Percutaneous Balloon Compression of Trigeminal Ganglion for the Treatment of Idiopathic Trigeminal Neuralgia : Experience in 50 Patients.
10.3340/jkns.2008.43.4.186
- Author:
Seong Soon PARK
1
;
Myung Ki LEE
;
Jae Woo KIM
;
Jin Young JUNG
;
Ik Soo KIM
;
Chang Ghu GHANG
Author Information
1. Department of Neurosurgery, Bong Seng Memorial Hospital, Busan, Korea. stereomk@shinbiro.com
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Trigeminal neuralgia;
Percutaneous balloon compression
- MeSH:
Anesthesia;
Anesthesia, General;
Diplopia;
Follow-Up Studies;
Humans;
Keratitis;
Masseter Muscle;
Paresthesia;
Recurrence;
Retrospective Studies;
Trigeminal Ganglion;
Trigeminal Neuralgia
- From:Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
2008;43(4):186-189
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: We assessed the surgical results of percutaneous balloon compression in 50 patients with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia. METHODS: Fifty patients with follow-up period of more than 12 months were retrospectively analyzed. The mean follow-up period was 42 months (range, 12-82). The mean age was 65.8 years (range, 27-83). Seventeen patients (34%) had other previous surgical procedures. The balloon was inflated by injecting radio-contrast media under brief general anesthesia according to Mullan's technique. The mean inflating time was 88 seconds (range, 60-120). The whole procedure took about 20 minutes. RESULTS: We reported excellent and good results in 70% of the cases, poor in 6% as annoying dysesthesia, recurrence in 16%, and 8% failure due to technical deficiencies. Forty-six patients (92%) were initially relieved of their pain. There were permanent motor weakness of the masseter muscle in 4% of patients and transitory diplopia in 8%. Neither anesthesia dolorosa nor keratitis occurred. Almost all patients (92%) were discharged postoperatively within two days. CONCLUSION: These results indicate that balloon compression would be an effective method with acceptable morbidity, technically, it can be performed rapidly and simply in the treatment of idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia.
