Long-term pain outcomes in elderly patients with trigeminal neuralgia: comparison of first-time microvascular decompression and stereotactic radiosurgery.

OBJECTIVE: Common surgical treatments for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) include microvascular decompression (MVD) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). The use of MVD in elderly patients has been described but has yet to be prospectively compared to SRS, which is well-tolerated and noninvasive. The authors aimed to directly compare long-term pain control and adverse event rates for first-time surgical treatments for idiopathic TN in the elderly. METHODS: A prospectively collected database was reviewed for TN patients who had undergone treatment between 1997 and 2017 at a single institution. Standardized collection of preoperative demographics, surgical procedure, and postoperative outcomes was performed. Data analysis was limited to patients over the age of 65 years who had undergone a first-time procedure for the treatment of idiopathic TN with at least 1 year of follow-up. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-three patients meeting the study inclusion criteria underwent surgical procedures for TN during the study period (54 MVD, 24 MVD+Rhiz, 115 SRS). In patients in whom an artery was not compressing the trigeminal nerve during MVD, a partial sensory rhizotomy (MVD+Rhiz) was performed. Patients in the SRS cohort were older than those in the MVD and MVD+Rhiz cohorts (mean ± SD, 79.2 ± 7.8 vs 72.9 ± 5.7 and 70.9 ± 4.8 years, respectively; p < 0.0001) and had a higher mean Charlson Comorbidity Index (3.8 ± 1.1 vs 3.0 ± 0.9 and 2.9 ± 1.0, respectively; p < 0.0001). Immediate or short-term postoperative pain-free rates (Barrow Neurological Institute [BNI] pain intensity score I) were 98.1% for MVD, 95.8% for MVD+Rhiz, and 78.3% for SRS (p = 0.0008). At the last follow-up, 72.2% of MVD patients had a favorable outcome (BNI score I-IIIa) compared to 54.2% and 49.6% of MVD+Rhiz and SRS patients, respectively (p = 0.02). In total, 0 (0%) SRS, 5 (9.3%) MVD, and 1 (4.2%) MVD+Rhiz patients developed any adverse event. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis demonstrated that procedure type (p = 0.001) and postprocedure sensory change (p = 0.003) were statistically significantly associated with pain control. CONCLUSIONS: In this study cohort, patients who had undergone MVD had a statistically significantly longer duration of pain freedom than those who had undergone MVD+Rhiz or SRS as their first procedure. Fewer adverse events were seen after SRS, though the MVD-associated complication rate was comparable to published rates in younger patients. Overall, the results suggest that both MVD and SRS are effective options for the elderly, despite their advanced age. Treatment choice can be tailored to a patient's unique condition and wishes.

Comparison of Stereotactic Radiosurgery and Radiofrequency Ablation for Trigeminal Neuralgia in Multiple Sclerosis Patients.

BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment for medically refractory trigeminal neuralgia in multiple sclerosis (MS-TN) patients is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To compare treatment outcomes between stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA). METHODS: We performed a retrospective study of MS-TN patients treated with SRS or RFA between 2002 and 2019. Outcomes included degree of pain relief, pain recurrence, and sensory changes, segregated based on initial treatment, final treatment following retreatment with the same modality, and crossover patients. RESULTS: Sixty surgical cases for 42 MS-TN patients were reviewed. Initial pain freedom outcomes and rates of retreatment were similar (SRS: 30%; RFA: 42%). RFA resulted in faster onset of pain freedom (RFA: <1 week; SRS: 15 weeks; p < 0.001). SRS patients with pain relief had longer intervals to pain recurrence at 2 years (p = 0.044). Final treatment outcomes favored RFA for pain freedom/off-medication outcomes (RFA: 44%; SRS: 11%; p = 0.031), though RFA resulted in more paresthesia (RFA: 81%; SRS: 39%; p = 0.012). Both provided at least 80% of adequate pain relief. Crossover patients did not have improved pain relief. CONCLUSIONS: SRS and RFA are both valid surgical options for MS-TN. Discussion with providers will need to balance patient preference with their unique treatment characteristics.

A Safe Transitions Pathway for post-craniotomy neurological surgery patients: high-value care that bypasses the intensive care unit.

OBJECTIVE: High-value medical care is described as care that leads to excellent patient outcomes, high patient satisfaction, and efficient costs. Neurosurgical care in particular can be expensive for the hospital, as substantial costs are accrued during the operation and throughout the postoperative stay. The authors developed a "Safe Transitions Pathway" (STP) model in which select patients went to the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) and then the neuro-transitional care unit (NTCU) rather than being directly admitted to the neurosciences intensive care unit (ICU) following a craniotomy. They sought to evaluate the clinical and financial outcomes as well as the impact on the patient experience for patients who participated in the STP and bypassed the ICU level of care. METHODS: Patients were enrolled during the 2018 fiscal year (FY18; July 1, 2017, through June 30, 2018). The electronic medical record was reviewed for clinical information and the hospital cost accounting record was reviewed for financial information. Nurses and patients were given a satisfaction survey to assess their respective impressions of the hospital stay and of the recovery pathway. RESULTS: No patients who proceeded to the NTCU postoperatively were upgraded to the ICU level of care postoperatively. There were no deaths in the STP group, and no patients required a return to the operating room during their hospitalization (95% CI 0%-3.9%). There was a trend toward fewer 30-day readmissions in the STP patients than in the standard pathway patients (1.2% [95% CI 0.0%-6.8%] vs 5.1% [95% CI 2.5%-9.1%], p = 0.058). The mean number of ICU days saved per case was 1.20. The average postprocedure length of stay was reduced by 0.25 days for STP patients. Actual FY18 direct cost savings from 94 patients who went through the STP was $422,128. CONCLUSIONS: Length of stay, direct cost per case, and ICU days were significantly less after the adoption of the STP, and ICU bed utilization was freed for acute admissions and transfers. There were no substantial complications or adverse patient outcomes in the STP group.

Direct and indirect costs associated with stereotactic radiosurgery or open surgery for medial temporal lobe epilepsy: Results from the ROSE trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a less-invasive approach to surgery for medically refractory temporal lobe epilepsy is associated with lower health care costs and costs of lost productivity over time, compared to open surgery. METHODS: We compared direct medical costs and indirect productivity costs associated with treatment with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) in the ROSE (Radiosurgery or Open Surgery for Epilepsy) trial. Health care use was abstracted from hospital bills, the study database, and diaries in which participants recorded health care use and time lost from work while seeking care. Costs of use were calculated using a Medicare costing approach used in a prior study of the costs of ATL. The power of many analyses was limited by the sample size and data skewing. RESULTS: Combined treatment and follow-up costs (in thousands of US dollars) did not differ between SRS (n = 20, mean = $76.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 50.7-115.6) and ATL (n = 18, mean = $79.0, 95% CI = 60.09-103.8). Indirect costs also did not differ. More ATL than SRS participants were free of consciousness-impairing seizures in each year of follow-up (all P < 0.05). Costs declined following ATL (P = 0.005). Costs tended to increase over the first 18 months following SRS (P = 0.17) and declined thereafter (P = 0.06). This mostly reflected hospitalizations for SRS-related adverse events in the second year of follow-up. SIGNIFICANCE: Lower initial costs of SRS for medial temporal lobe epilepsy were largely offset by hospitalization costs related to adverse events later in the course of follow-up. Future studies of less-invasive alternatives to ATL will need to assess adverse events and major costs systematically and prospectively to understand the economic implications of adopting these technologies.

Visual field defects after radiosurgery versus temporal lobectomy for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: Findings of the ROSE trial.

PURPOSE: Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) may be an alternative to anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). Visual field defects (VFD) occur in 9-100% of patients following open surgery for MTLE. Postoperative VFD after minimally invasive versus open surgery may differ. METHODS: This prospective trial randomized patients with unilateral hippocampal sclerosis and concordant video-EEG findings to SRS versus ATL. Humphries perimetry was obtained at 24 m after surgery. VFD ratios (VFDR = proportion of missing homonymous hemifield with 0 = no VFD, 0.5 = complete superior quadrantanopsia) quantified VFD. Regressions of VFDR were evaluated against treatment arm and covariates. MRI evaluated effects of volume changes on VFDR. The relationships of VFDR with seizure remission and driving status 3 years after surgery were evaluated. RESULTS: No patients reported visual changes or had abnormal bedside examinations, but 49 of 54 (91%) of patients experienced VFD on formal perimetry. Neither incidence nor severity of VFDR differed significantly by treatment arm. VFDR severity was not associated with seizure remission or driving status. CONCLUSION: The nature of VFD was consistent with lesions of the optic radiations. Effective surgery (defined by seizure remission) of the mesial temporal lobe results in about a 90% incidence of typical VFD regardless of method.

Long-term pain outcomes for recurrent idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia after stereotactic radiosurgery: a prospective comparison of first-time microvascular decompression and repeat stereotactic radiosurgery.

OBJECTIVE: Microvascular decompression (MVD) and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) are common surgical treatments for trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Many patients who receive SRS have pain recurrence; the ideal second intervention is unknown. The authors directly compared pain outcomes after MVD and repeat SRS in a population of patients in whom SRS failed as their first-line procedure for TN, and they identified predictors of pain control. METHODS: The authors reviewed a prospectively collected database of patients undergoing surgery for TN between 1997 and 2014 at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Standardized data collection focused on preoperative clinical characteristics, surgical characteristics, and postoperative outcomes. Patients with typical type 1, idiopathic TN with ≥ 1 year of follow-up were included. RESULTS: In total, 168 patients underwent SRS as their first procedure. Of these patients, 90 had residual or recurrent pain. Thirty of these patients underwent a second procedure at UCSF and had ≥ 1 year of follow-up; 15 underwent first-time MVD and 15 underwent repeat SRS. Patients undergoing MVD were younger than those receiving repeat SRS and were more likely to receive ≥ 80 Gy during the initial SRS. The average follow-up was 44.9 ± 33.6 months for MVD and 48.3 ± 45.3 months for SRS. All patients achieved complete pain freedom without medication at some point during their follow-up. At last follow-up, 80% of MVD-treated patients and 33.3% of SRS-treated patients had a favorable outcome, defined as Barrow Neurological Institute Pain Intensity scores of I-IIIa (p < 0.05). Percentages of patients with favorable outcome at 1 and 5 years were 86% and 75% for the MVD cohort and 73% and 27% for the SRS cohort, respectively (p < 0.05). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis demonstrated that performing MVD was statistically significantly associated with favorable outcome (HR 0.12, 95% CI 0.02-0.60, p < 0.01). There were no statistically significant predictors of favorable outcome in the MVD cohort; however, the presence of sensory changes after repeat SRS was associated with pain relief (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who received MVD after failed SRS had a longer duration of favorable outcome compared to those who received repeat SRS; however, both modalities are safe and effective. The presence of post-SRS sensory changes was predictive of a favorable pain outcome in the SRS cohort.

Radiation-induced Cavernous Malformation as a Late Sequelae of Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Epilepsy.

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is a promising treatment for medically intractable mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. SRS for epilepsy has had an acceptable safety profile with reports of radiation-induced vascular malformations confined to central nervous system pathologies with prominent angiogenesis - namely, primary brain tumors, metastases, and arteriovenous malformations. Theoretical risks for radiation-induced lesions following radiosurgery for epilepsy have yet to be established. Of 13 patients treated in a pilot trial for medial temporal lobe epilepsy, one developed multiple delayed radiation-induced cavernous malformations following radiosurgery. This patient received a prescription dose of 20 Gy delivered to the amygdala, anterior hippocampus, and parahippocampal gyrus. Eight years following treatment, computed tomography imaging demonstrated an evolving hyperdensity in the mesial temporal lobe. Magnetic resonance imaging confirmed multiple T2 hypointense lesions with a mixed-signal intensity core in the left parahippocampal gyrus and anterior temporal lobe. The patient was initially managed conservatively. However, recurrent hemorrhage ultimately caused an acute deterioration in mental status, aphasia, and hemiparesis, necessitating surgical resection. Pathology confirmed radiation-induced cavernous malformations. This represents the first case of a radiation-induced vascular lesion as a long-term sequela of radiosurgery for epilepsy and illustrates the potential for this complication even when low doses are used in patients without angiogenic lesions. Optimal timing and indications for surgical resection of radiation-induced cavernous malformations prior to the development of neurologic symptoms warrant further refinement. Long-term vigilance and clinical monitoring are required.

Radiosurgery versus open surgery for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: The randomized, controlled ROSE trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) versus anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) for patients with pharmacoresistant unilateral mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). METHODS: This randomized, single-blinded, controlled trial recruited adults eligible for open surgery among 14 centers in the USA, UK, and India. Treatment was either SRS at 24 Gy to the 50% isodose targeting mesial structures, or standardized ATL. Outcomes were seizure remission (absence of disabling seizures between 25 and 36 months), verbal memory (VM), and quality of life (QOL) at 36-month follow-up. RESULTS: A total of 58 patients (31 in SRS, 27 in ATL) were treated. Sixteen (52%) SRS and 21 (78%) ATL patients achieved seizure remission (difference between ATL and SRS = 26%, upper 1-sided 95% confidence interval = 46%, P value at the 15% noninferiority margin = .82). Mean VM changes from baseline for 21 English-speaking, dominant-hemisphere patients did not differ between groups; consistent worsening occurred in 36% of SRS and 57% of ATL patients. QOL improved with seizure remission. Adverse events were anticipated cerebral edema and related symptoms for some SRS patients, and cerebritis, subdural hematoma, and others for ATL patients. SIGNIFICANCE: These data suggest that ATL has an advantage over SRS in terms of proportion of seizure remission, and both SRS and ATL appear to have effectiveness and reasonable safety as treatments for MTLE. SRS is an alternative to ATL for patients with contraindications for or with reluctance to undergo open surgery.

Prospective comparison of long-term pain relief rates after first-time microvascular decompression and stereotactic radiosurgery for trigeminal neuralgia.

OBJECTIVE Common surgical treatments for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) include microvascular decompression (MVD), stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), and radiofrequency ablation (RFA). Although the efficacy of each procedure has been described, few studies have directly compared these treatment modalities on pain control for TN. Using a large prospective longitudinal database, the authors aimed to 1) directly compare long-term pain control rates for first-time surgical treatments for idiopathic TN, and 2) identify predictors of pain control. METHODS The authors reviewed a prospectively collected database for all patients who underwent treatment for TN between 1997 and 2014 at the University of California, San Francisco. Standardized collection of data on preoperative clinical characteristics, surgical procedure, and postoperative outcomes was performed. Data analyses were limited to those patients who received a first-time procedure for treatment of idiopathic TN with > 1 year of follow-up. RESULTS Of 764 surgical procedures performed at the University of California, San Francisco, for TN (364 SRS, 316 MVD, and 84 RFA), 340 patients underwent first-time treatment for idiopathic TN (164 MVD, 168 SRS, and 8 RFA) and had > 1 year of follow-up. The analysis was restricted to patients who underwent MVD or SRS. Patients who received MVD were younger than those who underwent SRS (median age 63 vs 72 years, respectively; p < 0.001). The mean follow-up was 59 ± 35 months for MVD and 59 ± 45 months for SRS. Approximately 38% of patients who underwent MVD or SRS had > 5 years of follow-up (60 of 164 and 64 of 168 patients, respectively). Immediate or short-term (< 3 months) postoperative pain-free rates (Barrow Neurological Institute Pain Intensity score of I) were 96% for MVD and 75% for SRS. Percentages of patients with Barrow Neurological Institute Pain Intensity score of I at 1, 5, and 10 years after MVD were 83%, 61%, and 44%, and the corresponding percentages after SRS were 71%, 47%, and 27%, respectively. The median time to pain recurrence was 94 months (25th-75th quartiles: 57-131 months) for MVD and 53 months (25th-75th quartiles: 37-69 months) for SRS (p = 0.006). A subset of patients who had MVD also underwent partial sensory rhizotomy, usually in the setting of insignificant vascular compression. Compared with MVD alone, those who underwent MVD plus partial sensory rhizotomy had shorter pain-free intervals (median 45 months vs no median reached; p = 0.022). Multivariable regression demonstrated that shorter preoperative symptom duration (HR 1.005, 95% CI 1.001-1.008; p = 0.006) was associated with favorable outcome for MVD and that post-SRS sensory changes (HR 0.392, 95% CI 0.213-0.723; p = 0.003) were associated with favorable outcome for SRS. CONCLUSIONS In this longitudinal study, patients who received MVD had longer pain-free intervals compared with those who underwent SRS. For patients who received SRS, postoperative sensory change was predictive of favorable outcome. However, surgical decision making depends upon many factors. This information can help physicians counsel patients with idiopathic TN on treatment selection.

Trends in surgical treatment for trigeminal neuralgia in the United States of America from 1988 to 2008.

Current surgical treatments for refractory trigeminal neuralgia (TN) include microvascular decompression (MVD), percutaneous rhizotomy, and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). We aimed to map the trends of utilization of these procedures in the USA and examine factors associated with morbidities and discharge outcome. We performed a retrospective cohort study with time trends of patients admitted to US hospitals for TN between 1988 and 2008 who received MVD, percutaneous rhizotomy, or SRS as reported in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to examine patient demographics, hospital characteristics, and other hospitalization factors affecting complications and discharges. The use of MVD increased significantly by 194% from 1988 to 2008 while rhizotomy decreased by 92%. The use of radiosurgery, introduced in the early 1990s, peaked in 2004 and has declined since. Univariate analysis revealed patient age, length of hospitalization, hospital teaching status, and hospital patient volume to be associated with discharge and complications. Multivariate analysis showed that for MVD, younger age and high hospital volume were predictive of a good discharge outcome. For rhizotomy, age, median income, urban location, and hospital volumes were associated with discharge outcome, but only teaching status, urban location, and hospital volume were associated with complications. For SRS, patient age and length of stay were found to be important by multivariate analysis on discharge. Mortality rates for MVD (0.22%), rhizotomy (0.42%), and SRS (0.12%) were low. The clinical practices for surgical treatment of TN have evolved over time with the rise of MVD and dwindling of rhizotomy procedures.

Visual field defects after radiosurgery for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.

PURPOSE: Gamma knife radiosurgery (RS) may be an alternative to open surgery for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE), but morbidities and the anticonvulsant mechanisms of RS are unclear. Examination of visual field defects (VFDs) after RS may provide evidence of the extent of a postoperative fixed lesion. VFDs occur in 52-100% of patients following open surgery for MTLE. METHODS: This multicenter prospective trial of RS enrolled patients with unilateral hippocampal sclerosis and concordant video-electroencephalography (EEG) findings. Patients were randomized to low (20 Gy) or high (24 Gy) doses delivered to the amygdala, hippocampal head, and parahippocampal gyrus. Postoperative perimetry were obtained at 24 months after RS. Visual field defect ratios (VFDRs) were calculated to quantify the degree of VFDs. Results were contrasted with age, RS dose and 50% isodose volume, peak volume of radiation-induced change at the surgical target, quality of life measurements, and seizure remission. KEY FINDINGS: No patients reported visual changes and no patients had abnormal bedside visual field examinations. Fifteen (62.5%) of 24 patients had postoperative VFDs, all homonymous superior quadrantanopsias. None of the VFDs were consistent with injury to the optic nerve or chiasm. Clinical diagnosis of VFDs correlated significantly with VFDRs (p = 0.0005). Patients with seizure remission had smaller (more severe) VFDRs (p = 0.04). No other variables had significant correlations. SIGNIFICANCE: VFDs appeared after RS in proportions similar to historical comparisons from open surgery for MTLE. The nature of VFDs was consistent with lesions of the optic radiations. The findings support the hypothesis that the mechanism of RS involves some degree of tissue damage and is not confined entirely to functional changes in neuromodulation.

Neuropsychological outcomes after Gamma Knife radiosurgery for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: a prospective multicenter study.

PURPOSE: To assess outcomes of language, verbal memory, cognitive efficiency and mental flexibility, mood, and quality of life (QOL) in a prospective, multicenter pilot study of Gamma Knife radiosurgery (RS) for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). METHODS: RS, randomized to 20 Gy or 24 Gy comprising 5.5-7.5 ml at the 50% isodose volume, was performed on mesial temporal structures of patients with unilateral MTLE. Neuropsychological evaluations were performed at preoperative baseline, and mean change scores were described at 12 and 24 months postoperatively. QOL data were also available at 36 months. KEY FINDINGS: Thirty patients were treated and 26 were available for the final 24-month neuropsychological evaluation. Language (Boston Naming Test), verbal memory (California Verbal Learning Test and Logical Memory subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised), cognitive efficiency and mental flexibility (Trail Making Test), and mood (Beck Depression Inventory) did not differ from baseline. QOL scores improved at 24 and 36 months, with those patients attaining seizure remission by month 24s accounting for the majority of the improvement. SIGNIFICANCE: The serial changes in cognitive outcomes, mood, and QOL are unremarkable following RS for MTLE. RS may provide an alternative to open surgery, especially in those patients at risk of cognitive impairment or who desire a noninvasive alternative to open surgery.

A multicenter, prospective pilot study of gamma knife radiosurgery for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: seizure response, adverse events, and verbal memory.

OBJECTIVE: The safety, efficacy, and morbidity of radiosurgery (RS) must be established before it can be offered as an alternative to open surgery for unilateral mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. We report the 3-year outcomes of a multicenter, prospective pilot study of RS. METHODS: RS was randomized to 20 or 24Gy targeting the amygdala, hippocampus, and parahippocampal gyrus. Seizure diaries evaluated the final seizure remission between months 24 and 36. Verbal memory was evaluated at baseline and 24m with the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R) and California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT). Patients were classified as having "significant improvement," "no change," and "significant impairment" based on relative change indices. RESULTS: Thirteen high-dose and 17 low-dose patients were treated. Both groups showed significant reductions in seizures by 1 year after treatment. At the 36-month follow-up evaluation, 67% of patients were free of seizures for the prior 12 months (high dose: 10/13, 76.9%; low dose: 10/17, 58.8%). Use of steroids, headaches, and visual field defects did not differ by dose or seizure remission. The prevalence of verbal memory impairment was 15% (4/26 patients); none declined on more than one measure. The prevalence of significant verbal memory improvements was 12% (3/26). INTERPRETATION: RS for unilateral mesial temporal lobe epilepsy offers seizure remission rates comparable with those reported previously for open surgery. There were no major safety concerns with high-dose RS compared with low-dose RS. Additional research is required to determine whether RS may be a treatment option for some patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.

Recurrent or refractory trigeminal neuralgia after microvascular decompression, radiofrequency ablation, or radiosurgery.

OBJECT: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is characterized by paroxysmal lancinating pain in the trigeminal nerve distribution. When TN is refractory to medical management, patients are referred for microvascular decompression (MVD), radiofrequency ablation, or radiosurgery. After the initial treatment, patients may have refractory or recurrent symptoms requiring retreatment. The purpose of this study was to determine what factors are associated with the need for retreatment and which modality is most effective. METHODS: To define this population further, the authors evaluated a cohort of patients who required retreatment for TN. The mean follow-up periods were 51 months from the first treatment and 23 months from the last one, and these were comparable among treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: Trigeminal neuralgia can recur after neurosurgical treatment. In this study the authors demonstrate that the number of patients requiring retreatment is not negligible. Lower retreatment rates were seen in patients who initially underwent radiosurgery, compared with those in whom MVD or radiofrequency ablation were performed. Radiosurgery was more likely to be the final treatment for recurrent TN regardless of the initial treatment. After retreatment, the majority of patients attained complete or very good pain relief. Pain relief after retreatment correlates with postoperative facial numbness.

Management of medically refractory trigeminal neuralgia in patients with multiple sclerosis.

OBJECT: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a painful disorder that frequently causes lancinating, electrical shock-like pain in the trigeminal distribution. Common surgical treatments include microvascular decompression (MVD), radiosurgery, and radiofrequency ablation, and complete pain relief is generally achieved with a single treatment in 70 to 85% of cases for all modalities. In a subset of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), however, the rates of surgical treatment failure and the need for additional procedures are significantly increased compared with those in patients without MS. In this study the authors report their experience with a cohort of 11 patients with TN who also had MS, and assess the efficacy of MVD, gamma knife surgery (GKS), and radiofrequency ablation in achieving complete or partial long-term pain relief. METHODS: Eleven patients with TN and MS who were treated by the senior author (N.B.) at the University of California, San Francisco were included in this study. All patients underwent GKS and/or radiofrequency ablation, and four received MVD. A detailed clinical history and intraoperative findings were recorded for each patient and frequent follow-up evaluations were performed, with a mean follow-up duration of 40.6 months (range 1-96 months). Pain was assessed for each patient by using the Barrow Neurological Institute scale (Scores I-V). CONCLUSIONS: Achieving complete pain relief in patients with TN and MS required significantly more treatments compared with all other patients with TN who did not have MS (p = 0.004). Even when compared with a group of 32 patients who had highly refractory TN, the cohort with MS required significantly more treatments (p = 0.05). Radiosurgery proved to be an effective procedure and resulted in fewer retreatments and longer pain-free intervals compared with MVD or radiofrequency ablation.