[Sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation in the treatment of chronic refractory cluster headache. A preliminary multicenter study in Russia]. / Stimulyatsiya krylonebnogo gangliya v lechenii khronicheskoi klasternoi golovnoi boli. Rezul'taty pervogo mul'titsentrovogo opyta v Rossii.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the results of sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation in treatment of chronic headache. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical histories of patients who underwent sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation in 4 clinical centers have been analyzed. The analysis included the type of pain and its characteristics, methods of surgery, CT, MRI, radiography before and after surgery. The follow-up data of patients with implanted pulse generators was collected in an outpatient clinic or by telephone review. RESULTS: The study included 15 patients with chronic refractory headache, including 14 with cluster headache and one female patient with features of trigeminal autonomic cephalgia without a clear definition of the type of pain. Trial stimulation was performed in 10 patients to determine analgesic effect. Among them stimulation was favorable in 7 cases, and 6 of them underwent pulse generator implantation. In total, 11 (73%) patients underwent implantation with a follow-up from 1 to 60 months. Among them only 6 (54%) patients use stimulation, the remaining 5 (46%) cases had device-related complications (migration, infection of system). Cluster headache has a significant improvement in long-term follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation may have high potential in the treatment of chronic drug-resistant cluster headache. The complication rate demonstrates that operative technique should be improved.

[Motor cortex stimulation in deafferentation facial pain]. / Stimuliatsiia motornoi kory pri deafferentatsionnoi litsevoi boli.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the results of treatment of poorly controlled deafferentation facial pain using motor cortex stimulation and to review the relevant literature. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study included 8 patients (3 males and 5 females) with deafferentation facial pain who were implanted with a system of constant motor cortex stimulation at the Illinois University in Chicago in 2004-2016 and Novosibirsk Federal Center of Neurosurgery in 2017. The patients' age ranged from 37 to 81 years (mean age, 57.5 years). Scale-based assessment of the pain severity was performed at admission to hospital, at discharge, and during follow-up. The visual analogue pain scale, Barrow Neurological Institute pain scale (BNIPS), and McLaughlin scale were used. RESULTS: Immediately after surgery, a significant improvement in the form of pain reduction by 80-100% occurred in 4 patients. The pain intensity at discharge from the hospital decreased by 55%, on average. During the follow-up period, the efficacy of motor cortex stimulation was assessed (McLaughlin scale) as very good by 3 of the 8 patients, as good by 4 patients, and as unsatisfactory by 1 patient. CONCLUSION: Our findings and recent studies have demonstrated that motor cortex stimulation is one of the treatment options for deafferentation facial pain. Even a slight decrease in the intensity of excruciating and debilitating pain (assessed by patients as a good effect) gives grounds for application of the procedure. Further research is needed to define more precise criteria for selecting patients for this treatment and to increase the efficacy of stimulation.

[Surgical treatment of cervical paragangliomas]. / Khirurgicheskoe lechenie paragangliom shei.

AIM: To present own experience in surgical treatment of cervical paragangliomas. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 9 patients with cervical paragangliomas were enrolled. Endovascular embolization of supplying vessels followed by maximally radical surgery and subsequent carotid arteries repair involved into tumoral process reduces the risk of complications. RESULTS: The most careful attitude to caudal group of cranial nerves adjacent or involved into neoplasm allows to minimize postoperative neurological complications.