Abstract
Percutaneous electrocoagulation of the trigeminal ganglion and rootlets in the surgical treatment of trigeminal neuralgia provides a safe method for achieving longstanding relief of pain without some of the objectionable side effects associated with other forms of surgical therapy. This procedure can be performed in any individual regardless of age or debilitated condition and be repeated without increased difficulty or hazard.
Temperature control during radiofrequency lesioning enables selective destruction of pain fibers in the trigeminal ganglion and rootlets while preserving many fibers for touch and motor function in the face in the majority of patients and whenever necessary it can produce complete anesthesia of the whole trigeminal nerve like rhizotomy.
The authors report their experience in four patients with trigeminal facial pain operated on by this procedure. In one of them with typical trigeminal neuralgia, pain was not relieved since the electrode tip could not be placed among the desired rootlets because of the narrow foramen ovale. The two patients with cancer pain have maintained complete trigeminal anesthesia andanalgesia, but one of them has complained of a sort of facial pain derived from another cranial and/or cervical nerves.
