Treatment for Trigeminal Neuralgia Revisited for Longer Remission: A Series of 56 Cases.

The primary challenge associated with peripheral neurectomy is the occurrence of spontaneous nerve regeneration. This study focused on addressing this issue by employing a novel approach involving the use of sticky (steaky) bone to obliterate the foramina post-peripheral neurectomy. The study involved 56 patients diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia, divided into two groups. In group I, the proximal nerve stump in the foramina was chemically cauterized after peripheral neurectomy, while in group II, sticky bone was used to obliterate the foramina. After a 2-year follow-up period, group II exhibited a significant improvement in the mean Visual Analogue Scale scores. Additionally, cone-beam computed tomography analysis revealed a noteworthy reduction in the size of the foramina in group II at 2 years post-operatively.

Management of trigeminal neuralgia by peripheral neurectomy.

Background: Peripheral neurectomy(PN)is a minimally invasive procedure, for the management of trigeminal neuralgi (TN)consisting of surgical avulsion of terminal branches of the trigeminal nerve. Aim: To assess the efficacy of PN in the treatment of refractory TN and their recurrences in a follow up of 18 months. Materials and Methodology: Retro-prospective and prospective study was conducted on randomly selected 30 TN patients irrespective of age, gender and socio-economic status. The branch of trigeminal nerve involved was identified according to the site of pain. Then the PN procedure was performed under local or general aesthesia. The follow up of each patient was done for next 18 months. Results: Mean age of the TN patients 53.17 ± 13.84 years, with 66.7% of patients were within 60 years of age. Male to female ratio was 1:1.5. All patients showed unilateral TN. Mostly 26.7% trigger point was located in lower lip followed by 13.3% in upper lip. After 3,6 and 9 months follow-up, none of the TN patients treated with PN had pain and none had any effect on general activity. However, from 12 months till 18 months' follow up, 2 (6.7%) patients reported of pain. Conclusion: PNs are viable treatment alternative for TN, although peripheral neurectomy has chances of reoccurrence but still offer better quality of life in patients for many years without relaps.

Peripheral Neurectomy for Trigeminal Neuralgia: A Report of Seventeen Cases and Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: Surgical intervention for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is indicated if there is a failure of the medical treatment. Peripheral neurectomy is one of the oldest surgical procedures for TN. OBJECTIVE: The aim is to evaluate the clinical outcome and the recurrence rate following peripheral neurectomy for the management of TN. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of 17 patients with classical TN treated by peripheral neurectomy. The visual analogue scale (VAS) was used for pain assessment preoperatively and during the follow-up period. The outcome of surgery was graded as a marked, moderate, or mild improvement. Kaplan-Meier analysis was used for the time to recurrence to predict the probability of recurrence at any given time following the procedure. RESULTS: The mean pain-free interval was 29.3 ± 16.3 months. At 2 and 5 years of the follow-up period, the mean VAS improved significantly (P < 0.001 and P = 0.042 respectively). Thirteen patients had marked improvement of pain. There was recurrence of pain in 4 patients (23.5%). By Kaplan-Meier analysis, the survival rate without recurrence at 2, 3, 4, and 5 years following the procedure were 92.9%, 79.6%, 59.7%, and 29.8%, respectively. The mean preoperative Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety and Depression scores significantly improved on the last follow-up visit following the procedure (P < 0.001 for both). CONCLUSION: Peripheral neurectomy provides short to medium-term good pain control for patients with TN. The preoperative severity of pain, anxiety, and depression levels improved markedly after the procedure.

Comparison of Peripheral Neurectomy vs. Medical Treatment for Migraine: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Migraine is a common form of primary neurologic headache. Many patients are chronic migraineurs and suffer from a significant disability and adverse effects of drugs. There are various surgical options available to treat migraines, including peripheral neurectomies. OBJECTIVE: To study the surgical and functional outcomes of migraine surgeries using peripheral neurectomies and compare them with conservatively treated patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Migraine patients who had a unilateral onset pain were given local bupivacaine block at the suspected trigger site, and those who were relieved were given the option for surgery. In the operative group, the peripheral nerve of the trigger site was lysed under local anesthesia. The conservative group was continued with the standard treatment. Evaluations with a baseline and 6 months visual analog score (VAS), migraine headache index (MHI), migraine disability assessment test (MIDAS), and pain self-efficacy questionnaire (PSEQ) scores were done. RESULTS: A total of 26 patients got benefitted with the local bupivacaine block, out of which 13 underwent surgery. At baseline, the VAS, MHI, MIDAS, and PSEQ scores were similar in both the groups. The operative group had significant (P < 0.001) improvement in all these parameters 6 months after the surgery. All patients of the operative group got free from prophylactic migraine treatment; however, 11 out of 13 patients still needed occasional  use of analgesics. There was one complication of transient temporal numbness. CONCLUSION: Migraine surgery using peripheral neurectomies was more effective than chronic drug treatment in appropriately selected patients.

Histopathological Evaluation of Inferior Alveolar Neurovascular Bundle in Cases of Trigeminal Neuralgia.

BACKGROUND: Trigeminal neuralgia is a painful disease that has been afflicting mankind since time immemorial. The etiology and pathophysiology have been widely studied but poorly understood. There are well-documented researches analyzing ultrastructural changes in trigeminal root specimens obtained following microvascular decompression surgery. However, there are no studies evaluating microscopic changes following peripheral neurectomy. PURPOSE: The present study examined microscopic changes in inferior alveolar neurovascular bundle in trigeminal neuralgia patients of mandibular division with no underlying cause. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The biopsy specimens were obtained from peripheral neurectomy of 11 trigeminal neuralgia patients' refractory to anti-neuralgic medications. The autopsy specimens from 10 cadavers were used as control. The specimens were subjected to histopathological examination by hematoxylin and eosin, Masson trichrome and Luxol fast blue stains. RESULTS: All biopsy specimens reported luminal occlusion of small vessels, medial degeneration and intense mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate. Focal myelin digestion chambers were observed in large and small axons. No pathological alterations of either blood vessel or nerve fibers were reported in autopsy specimens. CONCLUSION: The demyelination of inferior alveolar nerve due to pathologic vascular changes in peripheral vasculature may have a role in initiation and precipitation of trigeminal neuralgia, and hence, peripheral neurectomy has a significant role in alleviating pain.

Efficacy of Neurectomy of Peripheral Branches of the Trigeminal Nerve in Trigeminal Neuralgia: A Critical Review of the Literature.

INTRODUCTION: Of the many chronic painful conditions, trigeminal neuralgia (TN) affecting the orofacial region needs the particular attention of physicians and surgeons, especially those specialising in the maxillofacial region. Treatment protocols for the management of classic TN include pharmacology and surgical intervention. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons have traditionally employed the peripheral neurectomy in the surgical management of TN. This review aims to evaluate the efficacy of peripheral neurectomy in the management of TN with regard to (a) the relief of symptoms in comparison with standard neurosurgical procedures and (b) the duration of pain relief and complications observed compared to standard neurosurgical procedures. METHODS: The review of the literature was done according to PRISMA guidelines and included randomised controlled trials, reviews and prospective clinical studies involving surgical procedures for the management of TN. The primary outcomes evaluated were (a) initial relief of pain, (b) duration of relief of pain, (c) complications observed with ablative procedures and (d) recurrence of symptoms. A total of 43 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: In a total of 7913 patients from the 43 studies, central procedures were found to have best results for both quality and duration of pain relief. Percutaneous and peripheral procedures were associated with increased recurrence rates. The consolidated rates of complication for peripheral, percutaneous and central procedures were 39.46, 65.42 and 10.41%, respectively. The use of peripheral neurectomy alone in the management of classic TN was observed in 10 studies. CONCLUSION: Peripheral neurectomy in TN is associated with lesser quality of pain relief in comparison with central neurosurgical procedures. It also provides only short- to medium-term pain relief. Most studies with the use of peripheral neurectomy involved only a small group of patients with short follow-up periods. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons must not consider the peripheral neurectomy as the first surgical option in the management of classic TN. Long-term results can be achieved better with appropriate central neurosurgical procedures and pharmacotherapy.

The Role of Selective Peripheral Neurectomy in the Treatment of Upper Limb Spasticity.

BACKGROUND: Management of upper limb spasticity remains challenging. Selective peripheral neurectomy (SPN) is a relatively recent intervention for cases refractory to medical therapy. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review looking at the efficacy and outcomes of SPN, in order to clarify the patient selection criteria and surgical technique. METHODS: A search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science Core Collection, Open Grey and CINAHL was conducted. Inclusion criteria included studies comparing pre- and post-operative outcomes for SPN, neurectomy, fasciculotomy and upper limb spasticity. RESULTS: Only case series were reported with no randomised controlled trials found. 7 studies met the inclusion criteria with a total of 174 patients. A meta-analysis was not possible due to the degree of baseline heterogeneity. All studies had no control arm for comparison of outcomes, with a high risk of bias due to poor internal and external validity, as well as design and performance bias. Surgical techniques differ vastly between studies, with percentage of fascicles ablated between 30-80% and length of neurectomy between 5-10 mm. Some advocated removing end branches while others performed fascicular SPN proximally. 13 patients underwent orthopaedic or neurosurgical procedures, which are both confounding factors. All studies reported an improvement in spasticity although functional outcomes were reported with non-standardized measures. Recurrence rates were reported to be 0-16.1% (mean 3.72%). CONCLUSIONS: From this systematic review, SPN appeared to be a useful technique in selected cases, but overall no firm conclusions can be drawn regarding the best surgical technique, or the extent of functional improvement.

Peripheral neurectomies: A treatment option for trigeminal neuralgia in rural practice.

BACKGROUND: Trigeminal neuralgia is a commonly diagnosed neurosensory disease of head, neck and face region, involving 5(th) cranial nerve. Carbamazepine is the first line drug if there is decrease in efficacy or tolerability of medication, surgery needs to be considered. Factors such as pain relief, recurrence rates, morbidity and mortality rates should be taken in to account while considering which technique to use. Peripheral neurectomy is a safe and effective procedure for elderly patients and in rural and remote centers where neurosurgical facilities are not available. It is also effective in those patients who are reluctant for major neurosurgical procedures. Although loss of sensation along the branches of trigeminal nerve and recurrence rate are associated with peripheral neurectomy, we consider it as the safe and effective procedure in rural practice, which can be done under local anesthesia. AIMS: The aim of this prospective study is to evaluate the long term efficacy of peripheral neurectomy with and without the placement of stainless steel screws in the foramina and to calculate the mean remission period after peripheral neurectomies for different branches of trigeminal nerve. SETTING AND DESIGN: The sample was divided into 2 groups by selecting randomly the patients, satisfying inclusion criteria. Both groups were operated under local anesthesia by regional nerve blocks. In one group of patients after peripheral neurectomy, the proximal nerve stump was left alone in the foramina, and in another group of patients, obturation of foramina was done with stainless steel screws after peripheral neurectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Peripheral neurectomy was done on the terminal branches of trigeminal nerve in 14 patients. We selected only those cases that were experiencing pain after Carbamazepine therapy, all our patients were from rural and remote areas where facilities to neurosurgical centers are limited. Elderly patients who were unfit for surgical procedures and those patients who were reluctant for major neurosurgical treatments were considered for the study. RESULTS: Post-surgical pain relief varied from 15 months to 24 months in cases where neurectomy was done without placing stainless steel screws in the foramina. Those cases where peripheral neurectomy was done along with the placement of stainless steel screws in the foramina, none of the patient had painful symptoms even after minimum 2 years of follow-up. Student's `t`-test of 2 groups showed the remission period to be statistically highly significant in patients with stainless steel screw obturation, having P-value <0.0005.Obturating the foramen with stainless steel screws can prevent nerve regeneration. Thus, remission of pain can be prolonged. CONCLUSION: Peripheral neurectomy is thus a safe and effective procedure for elderly patients, for those patients living in remote and rural places that cannot avail major neurosurgical facilities, and for those patients who are reluctant for major neurosurgical procedures.

Peripheral neurectomy: a minimally invasive treatment for trigeminal neuralgia. A retrospective study.

AIM: Investigate the efficacy of peripheral neurectomy as a surgical procedure in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia and to evaluate the results obtained by this procedure and their recurrences in a period of three years followup. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients were retrospectively reviewed who underwent peripheral neurectomy. The factors analyzed were the demographic details of the patients, side of involvement, branch of nerve involved and procedure used postoperative complications, prognosis and any additional procedure used in cases of recurrences. RESULTS: The mean age of the patient was 57.1 years (range 35-71 years) more were males (M:F = 1.73:1) and the surgical treatment was peripheral neurectomy of the involved branch following failure of carbamazepine therapy. There was no intra operative and postoperative complications noted and follow up over 3 years revealed only two cases (6.66%) of recurrence. Two patients were lost to followup, total number evaluated between 0 and 3 years after treatment was 28 patients. CONCLUSION: Peripheral neurectomy is one of the oldest, minimal invasive forms of surgery, well tolerated by the patient and can be done under local anesthesia.