Glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN) is a pain syndrome characterized by unilateral sharp pain in the sensory distribution of the ninth cranial nerve. The first line of treatment for GPN is medical. However, it usually provides only partial relief. Pulsed radiofrequency has been proposed as safe, nondestructive treatment method. We present two cases of secondary GPN that was managed with pulsed radiofrequency by extraoral approach. The results were satisfactory.
Glossopharyngeal Nerve ; Glossopharyngeal Nerve Diseases* ; Neuralgia ; Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment*

The authors report a case of glossopharyngeal neuralgia which was successfully treated with intracranial section of the glossopharyngeal and upper two rootlets of the vagus nerves. Despite of the complete section of these nerves, corresponding sensory or motor deficit was not developed. And the histories of this surgery were reviewed.
Glossopharyngeal Nerve Diseases ; Neuralgia* ; Vagus Nerve

Tonsillectomy is one of the most common procedures performed by an otorhinolaryngologist. Postoperative hemorrhage and dehydration are two of the most common complications, but glossopharyngeal neuralgia is an unusual complication encountered in tonsillectomy. Glossopharyngeal neuralgia is characterized by paroxysms of ipsilateral and severe lancinating pain occurring in the distribution of the nerve. The pain may be spontaneous or precipitated by a variety of actions that stimulate the region supplied by the glossopharyngeal nerve namely yawning, coughing, swallowing and talking. The proximity between the glossopharyngeal nerve and the tonsillar fossa suggests that dissection in the correct surgical plane during tonsillectomy is important for avoiding injury to the glossopharyngeal nerve. Glossopharyngeal neuralgia after tonsillectomy is induced by intraoperative cauterization, nerve compression or iatrogenic trauma. Management of glossopharyngeal neuralgia induced by tonsillectomy should be given a trial of anti-convulsant medication like carbamazepine or glossopharyngeal nerve resection. A case of glossopharyngeal neuralgia caused by tonsillectomy was experienced by a 29-year-old man, and this case was reported and its aetiology was discussed.
Adult ; Carbamazepine ; Cautery ; Cough ; Deglutition ; Dehydration ; Glossopharyngeal Nerve ; Glossopharyngeal Nerve Diseases* ; Humans ; Postoperative Hemorrhage ; Tonsillectomy* ; Yawning

No abstract available.
B-Lymphocytes ; Glossopharyngeal Nerve Diseases ; Lymphoma, B-Cell ; Syncope

No abstract available.
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell* ; Glossopharyngeal Nerve Diseases* ; Tongue Neoplasms ; Tongue*

BACKGROUND: Glossopharyngeal neuralgia has the characteristic of a long remission phase between the pain attack phases. Although the concept of remission is very important for the treatment of patients with glossopharyngeal neuralgia, due to the rarity of the disease, clear statistical studies on the remission phase for glossopharyngeal neuralgia are almost non-existent. METHODS: Previous chart reviews and phone interviews were conducted on a total of 38 patients. Among these study subjects, two patients were excluded because of their known secondary glossopharyngeal neuralgia from their brain tumors. Hence, the average duration of remission was investigated on 36 patients with idiopathic glossopharyngeal neuralgia. RESULTS: For the 27 patients who experienced their first remission, the average duration of the remission was 3.1 years. Among them, the average duration of the second remission of the 17 patients was 2.5 years, and for 4 patients who experienced a third remission, the average duration of the remission phase was 1.9 years. CONCLUSIONS: The difference in the mean duration of the remission phase of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd are not statistically significant, and the occurrence rate of the left or right side and of the gender, male or female, are also statistically insignificant. However, it is possible to infer that a patient might face a pain attack phase when his or her remission phase has lapsed for about three years. This prediction may be applied when developing treatment plans for patients with glossopharyngeal neuralgia.
Brain Neoplasms ; Female ; Glossopharyngeal Nerve Diseases ; Humans ; Male ; Statistics as Topic

Glossopharyngeal neuralgia, first discribed by Labat in 1928, is a very rare disease of unknown cause. This neuralgia is associated with a characteristic sharp pain of the posterior pharynx, tonsils and larynx, and especially triggered by swallowing action. It is said that this pain is more severe than that of trigerminal neuralgia and the pain may last several up to 30 minutes and the attack repeats intermittently. Diagnosis of glosspharyngeal neuralgia is made by the symptoms and by the elongation of the right side of the styloid process in this case. The glossopharyngeal nerve block by the deposition of local anesthetic solution is useful in the accurate diagnosis of the douleureux or neuralgia in which this nerve is involved and in providing anesthesia for operative intervention upon the posterior third of the tongue. This is a report of a case of glossopharyngeal neuralgia, which did not respond to Tegretol and other analgesic drugs and treated by glossopharyngeal nerve block with 0.5% bupivacaine l.5-2.0 ml. The block was performed every day for 15 days and the neuralgia disappeared without complication.
Analgesics ; Anesthesia ; Bupivacaine ; Carbamazepine ; Deglutition ; Diagnosis ; Glossopharyngeal Nerve ; Glossopharyngeal Nerve Diseases* ; Larynx ; Neuralgia ; Palatine Tonsil ; Pharynx ; Rare Diseases ; Tongue

OBJECTIVE: We present our experience of microvascular decompression (MVD) for glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN) and evaluate the postoperative outcomes in accordance with four different operative techniques during MVD. METHODS: In total, 30 patients with intractable primary typical GPN who underwent MVD without rhizotomy and were followed for more than 2 years were included in the analysis. Each MVD was performed using one of four different surgical techniques: interposition of Teflon pieces, transposition of offending vessels using Teflon pieces, transposition of offending vessels using a fibrin-glue-coated Teflon sling, and removal of offending veins. RESULTS: The posterior inferior cerebellar artery was responsible for neurovascular compression in 27 of 30 (90%) patients, either by itself or in combination with other vessels. The location of compression on the glossopharyngeal nerve varied; the root entry zone (REZ) only (63.3%) was most common, followed by both the REZ and distal portion (26.7%) and the distal portion alone (10.0%). In terms of detailed surgical techniques during MVD, the offending vessels were transposed in 24 (80%) patients, either using additional insulation, offered by Teflon pieces (15 patients), or using a fibrin glue-coated Teflon sling (9 patients). Simple insertion of Teflon pieces and removal of a small vein were also performed in five and one patient, respectively. During the 2 years following MVD, 29 of 30 (96.7%) patients were asymptomatic or experienced only occasional pain that did not require medication. Temporary hemodynamic instability occurred in two patients during MVD, and seven patients experienced transient postoperative complications. Neither persistent morbidity nor mortality was reported. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that MVD without rhizotomy is a safe and effective treatment option for GPN.
Arteries ; Fibrin ; Glossopharyngeal Nerve ; Glossopharyngeal Nerve Diseases* ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Microvascular Decompression Surgery* ; Mortality ; Neuralgia ; Polytetrafluoroethylene ; Postoperative Complications ; Rhizotomy ; Veins

Adult ; Electrocoagulation ; adverse effects ; methods ; Fatal Outcome ; Glossopharyngeal Nerve ; surgery ; Glossopharyngeal Nerve Diseases ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Microwaves

OBJECTIVETo introduce a modified laterocervical approach for glossopharyngeal neurotomy to treat idiopathic glossopharyngeal neuralgia.

METHODSThe clinical data, the operative technique, the operative effects and (the results of) follow-up of 12 patients were presented. Through reviewing pertinent literatures, the therapeutic advancement of glossopharyngeal neuralgia and the modified technique of laterocervical approach for glossopharyngeal neurotomy were discussed. New idea on operations, of which the use of insulation coverings when cauterizing the inferior ganglion of glossopharyngeal nerve and Jacobson nerve were brought. Homonymous superior laryngeal nerve was excised at the same time.

RESULTSAll patients (the cases) were followed-up for 3 months to 3 years with an median of 15 months. Among the 12 patients suffered from glossopharyngeal neuralgia, 11 patients were satisfied with the outcomes and remained disease free after surgical treatment. The remission rate of pain was 100.0%, complete remission rate of pain was 91.7%. Only a few patients had complications. Intraoperative leakage of cerebrospinal fluid was obstructed with gelatin sponge and pasted with mucilage in 1 case and no complication appeared in the convalescence stage. Postoperatively, facial palsy was found in 1 case which was self-cured after a week, postoperative voice depression in 1 case, and foreign body sensation in 2 cases.

CONCLUSIONSLaterocervical approach for glossopharyngeal neurotomy is an available method to treat idiopathic glossopharyngeal neuralgia.

Denervation ; methods ; Female ; Glossopharyngeal Nerve ; surgery ; Glossopharyngeal Nerve Diseases ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neck ; surgery ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome