Case
About this case
Operative video: Trigeminal Neuralgia. The background notes below summarise the anatomy, pathology and approach, with published references.
Reference notes
Background
Notes on this case’s cranial location, pathology and surgical approach, with published sources. General education only, not advice for any individual patient.
Pathology
Trigeminal Neuralgia
Trigeminal neuralgia is paroxysmal, lancinating facial pain in a trigeminal distribution, classically triggered by light touch. The common cause is neurovascular compression of the root entry zone, most often by the superior cerebellar artery.
Options include first-line medical therapy (carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine), microvascular decompression — which treats the underlying cause — and ablative procedures such as percutaneous rhizotomy or stereotactic radiosurgery.
References
- Cruccu G, Finnerup NB, Jensen TS, et al. Trigeminal neuralgia: new classification and diagnostic grading for practice and research. Neurology. 2016;87(2):220-228.
- Barker FG 2nd, Jannetta PJ, Bissonette DJ, et al. The long-term outcome of microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia. N Engl J Med. 1996;334(17):1077-1083.