Frontal site surgery for chronic migraine therapy.

BACKGROUND: According to the most current theories, chronic inflammation of some cranial nerves give rise to an inflammatory chain that would result in migraines. As for frontally located attacks, the nerves involved are two (on each side): the supraorbital and the supratrochlear. Surgical treatment includes complete neurolysis of both of these nerves. METHODS: In this work, we describe our experience with this type of surgery. From 2011 to 2022, we treated 98 cases suffering from chronic migraine not responsive to drugs with frontal localization. The results were evaluated through a specific questionnaire three months and one year after surgery. RESULTS: After three months post-surgery, we observed a success rate (reduction of monthly attacks equivalent to or greater than 50%) in 87% of patients (32% complete recovery). These results were essentially confirmed one year after surgery. The rare complications (mainly paresthesias and dysesthesias of the frontal area) have always resolved spontaneously within a few months. CONCLUSION: The surgical approach allowed to obtain good therapeutic results with a low rate of complications.

A longitudinal prospective study of septoplasty impact on headache and allergic rhinitis in patients with septal deviation.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the severity of allergic rhinitis (AR) and different types of headaches in patients with septal deviation before and after septoplasty. METHODS: This multicentre, prospective, longitudinal, observational study enrolled patients with deviated nasal septum, nasal symptoms and headaches associated with persistent AR lasting at least 2 months without resolution. The nasal obstruction evaluation (NOSE) scale, immunoglobulin-E (Ig-E) levels and visual analogue scale (VAS) for headache pain severity were evaluated before and after septoplasty using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. RESULTS: A total of 196 patients were enrolled in the study (102 males; 94 females). A total of 134 patients (68%) were diagnosed with severe AR and 166 (85%) experienced headaches with AR. The majority (100 of 166 patients; 60%) had sinusoidal headaches, while 25% (42 of 166 patients) reported a combination of sinusoidal headache and migraine and 14% (24 of 166 patients) experienced migraines. A comparison of preoperative and postoperative Ig-E levels, NOSE and VAS scores demonstrated that septoplasty significantly improved AR symptoms and headaches. Although there were significant improvements in headaches overall post-septoplasty, only the sinusoidal components improved, while migraine remained unaffected. CONCLUSION: Septoplasty improved AR and sinusoidal headaches in patients with septal deviation, but migraines remained unaffected.

Long-term results of migraine surgery and the relationship between anatomical variations and pain.

BACKGROUND: Migraine headache surgery has been recently reported and supported by studies as management to provide long-term relief in migraine sufferers. This study aimed to monitor the long-term results of patients who underwent migraine surgery in our clinic and determine the relationship between pain and anatomical anomalies. METHODS: A prospective review was conducted of 93 patients who underwent surgery for migraine headaches performed between 2017 and 2021 by the senior author (M.U.) and had at least 12 months of follow-up. Anatomical data were obtained by recording the findings during surgery. Migraine surgery was performed bilaterally in all patients. Anatomical symmetry differences between the right and left sides were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 79 (84.9%) patients experienced at least 50% reduction in migraine headache. Furthermore, 13 (14%) patients reported complete elimination of migraine headache. A significant difference was found before and after surgery in Migraine Disability Assessment score, migraine headache index, frequency, duration, and pain (p < 0.001). Also, 30 (32.3%) of the patients had bilateral headaches and 63 (67.7%) had primarily unilateral headaches. Then, 51 (81%) patients with mostly unilateral headache were anatomically asymmetrical and 12 (12%) were anatomically symmetrical. Patients with mostly unilateral headache were found to be anatomically highly asymmetrical (p < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that surgical treatment is effective and long-term protection and has mild complications that are easily tolerated by the patient. The fact that headache side and anatomical asymmetry were significant in this study supports the peripheral mechanism.

The Surgical Management of Migraines and Chronic Headaches: A Cross-sectional Review of American Insurance Coverage.

BACKGROUND: Migraine headache can be an extremely debilitating condition, with pharmacotherapy for prophylaxis or treatment of acute symptoms being unsuccessful in a large proportion of patients. Surgical management of migraine has recently gained popularity as an alternative to pharmacotherapy for severe disease. However, the novel nature of these procedures may lead to variable insurance coverage, limiting access to care. METHODS: A cross-sectional analysis of 101 US insurance companies was conducted. Companies were chosen based on greatest market share and enrollment per state. A Web-based search or phone call identified whether each company had a publicly available policy on nonsurgical or surgical management of migraine or headache. For companies with an available policy, coverage was categorized into covered, covered on a case-by-case basis, or never covered, with criteria required for coverage collected and categorized. RESULTS: Of the 101 evaluated insurers, significantly fewer companies had a policy on surgical treatment for migraine or headache (n = 52 [52%]) compared with nonsurgical treatment (n = 78 [78%]) (P < 0.001). For companies with a policy, the most frequently covered nonsurgical treatments were biofeedback (n = 23 [92%]) and botulism toxin injections (n = 61 [88%]). Headaches were an approved indication for occipital nerve stimulation in 4% (n = 2) of company policies and nerve decompression in 2% (n = 1) of policies. Migraines were never offered preauthorized coverage for surgical procedures. CONCLUSION: Approximately half of US insurance companies have a publicly available policy on surgical management of migraine or headache. Surgical treatment was seldom covered for the indication of headache and would never receive preauthorized coverage for migraine. Lack of coverage may create challenges in accessing surgical treatment. Additional prospective, controlled studies are necessary to further support the efficacy of surgical treatment.

[Identification of potential influencing factors associated with elimination of migraine headache in patients with PFO after percutaneous closure].

Objective: To recognize the potential factors that contribute to the eradication of migraine headache in patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO) at one year after percutaneous closure. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted, which enrolled patients diagnosed with migraines and PFO at the Department of Structural Heart Disease, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University between May 2016 and May 2018. The patients were segregated into two groups based on their response to treatment, and one group showed elimination of migraines while another did not. Elimination of migraines was defined as a Migraine Disability Assessment Score (MIDAS) score of 0 at one year postoperatively. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression model was utilized to identify the predictive variables for migraine elimination post-PFO closure. Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the independent predictive factors. Results: The study enrolled a total of 247 patients, with an average age of (37.5±13.6) years, comprising 81 male individuals (32.8%). One year after closure, 148 patients (59.9%) reported eradication of their migraines. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that migraine with or without aura (OR=0.003 9, 95%CI 0.000 2-0.058 7, P=0.000 18), a history of antiplatelet medication use (OR=0.088 2, 95%CI 0.013 7-0.319 3, P=0.001 48) and resting right-to-left shunt (RLS) (OR=6.883 6, 95%CI 3.769 2-13.548 0, P<0.001) were identified as independent predictive factors for elimination of migraine. Conclusion: Migraine with or without aura, a history of antiplatelet medication use, and resting RLS are the independent prognostic factors associated with elimination of migraine. These results provide important clues for clinicians to choose the optimal treatment plan for PFO patients. However, further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Occipital site deactivation for the treatment of chronic migraine: a minimally invasive approach.

In this paper, we describe our experience in treating migraine headache localized in the occipital area. Using our minimally-invasive approach, from June 2011 till January 2022, we have performed MH decompression surgery over 232 patients with occipital migraine trigger site. After a mean follow-up of 20 months (range, 3-62 months), patients complaining for occipital MH had 94% positive surgical outcome (86% complete MH elimination). Only rare minor complications were reported (e.g., oedema, paresthesia, ecchymosis, and numbness). Presented, in part, at the XXIV Annual Meeting European Society of Surgery (Genoa, Italy, May 28-29, 2022), at the Celtic Meeting of the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS), (Dunblane, Scotland, September 8-9, 2022), at the Fourteenth Quadrennial European Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Conference, (Porto, Portugal, October 5-7, 2022), at the 91st Annual Meeting of the American Society of Plastic Surgery, (Boston, USA, October 27-30, 2022), and at the 76 BAPRAS (British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery) Scientific Meeting, (London, UK, November 30 - December 2, 2022).

Relative Pain Reduction and Duration of Nerve Block Response Predict Outcomes in Headache Surgery: A Prospective Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Experts agree that nerve block (NB) response is an important tool in headache surgery screening. However, the predictive value of NBs remains to be proven in a prospective fashion. METHODS: Pre-NB and post-NB visual analogue pain scores (0 to 10) and duration of NB response were recorded prospectively. Surgical outcomes were recorded prospectively by calculating the Migraine Headache Index (MHI) preoperatively and postoperatively at 3 months, 12 months, and every year thereafter. RESULTS: The study population included 115 patients. The chance of achieving MHI percentage improvement of 80% or higher was significantly higher in subjects who reported relative pain reduction of greater than 60% following NB versus less than or equal to 60% [63 of 92 (68.5%) versus 10 of 23 (43.5%); P = 0.03]. Patients were more likely to improve their MHI 50% or more with relative pain reduction of greater than 40% versus 40% or less [82 of 104 (78.8%) versus five of 11 (45.5%); P = 0.01]. In subjects with NB response of greater than 15 days, 10 of 13 patients (77.0%) experienced MHI improvement of 80% or greater. Notably, all of these patients (100%) reported MHI improvement of 50% or greater, with mean MHI improvement of 88%. Subjects with a NB response of 24 hours or more achieved significantly better outcomes than patients with a shorter response (72.7% ± 37.0% versus 46.1% ± 39.7%; P = 0.02). However, of 14 patients reporting NB response of less than 24 hours, four patients had MHI improvement of 80% or greater, and seven, of 50% or greater. CONCLUSIONS: Relative pain reduction and duration of NB response are predictors of MHI improvement after headache surgery. NBs are a valuable tool to identify patients who will benefit from surgery. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Risk, III.

Nonpharmacologic Treatments for Chronic and Episodic Migraine: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive techniques for treatment-resistant migraine have been developed on recent insights into the peripheral pathogenesis of migraines. Although there is a growing body of evidence supporting these techniques, no study has yet compared the effects of these treatments on headache frequency, severity, duration, and cost. METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases were searched to identify randomized placebo-controlled trials that compared radiofrequency ablation, botulinum toxin type A (BT-A), nerve block, neurostimulation, or migraine surgery to placebo for preventive treatment. Data on changes from baseline to follow-up in headache frequency, severity, duration, and quality of life were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 30 randomized controlled trials and 2680 patients were included. Compared with placebo, there was a significant decrease in headache frequency in patients with nerve block ( P = 0.04) and surgery ( P < 0.001). Headache severity decreased in all treatments. Duration of headaches was significantly reduced in the BT-A ( P < 0.001) and surgery cohorts ( P = 0.01). Quality of life improved significantly in patients with BT-A, nerve stimulator, and migraine surgery. Migraine surgery had the longest lasting effects (11.5 months) compared with nerve ablation (6 months), BT-A (3.2 months), and nerve block (11.9 days). CONCLUSIONS: Migraine surgery is a cost-effective, long-term treatment to reduce headache frequency, severity, and duration without significant risk of complication. BT-A reduces headache severity and duration, but it is short-lasting and associated with greater adverse events and lifetime cost. Although efficacious, radiofrequency ablation and implanted nerve stimulators have high risks of adverse events and explantation, whereas benefits of nerve blocks are short in duration.

Endoscope-Assisted Greater Occipital Nerve Decompression for Migraines, Occipital Neuralgia, and New Daily Persistent Headaches.

SUMMARY: In the occipital trigger site for migraine, the greater occipital nerve (GON) is thought to be irritated by surrounding structures, including the semispinalis capitis muscle and occipital artery (OA), producing headaches in the back of the neck. Thus, standard decompression involves removal of surrounding tissue and dissection away from the vessel. The authors noticed a consistent pattern between the GON and OA more distally: the OA approaching laterally and diving under the GON, the OA looping back over the GON and intertwining with the medial branch of the GON, and lastly the OA traveling parallel to the GON. The technique described uses a modified endoscopic approach with a counter incision, endoscopic assistance, and radical artery lysis to address distal sites in addition to the standard release. At the counter incision, distal intertwining between vessel and nerve was released. A high-definition endoscope was used to address dynamic compression points more proximally, including hidden areas where the vessel dives under the GON, as well as to facilitate cautery and removal of the vessel. Without the use of an endoscope and counterincision, it is difficult to achieve complete decompression of the nerve distally without injury to the proximal body of the nerve.

Measuring Success in Headache Surgery: A Comparison of Different Outcomes Measures.

BACKGROUND: Studies of migraine surgery have relied on quantitative, patient-reported measures like the Migraine Headache Index (MHI) and validated surveys to study the outcomes and impact of headache surgery. It is unclear whether a single metric or a combination of outcomes assessments is best suited to do so. METHODS: All patients who underwent headache surgery had an MHI calculated and completed the Headache Impact Test, the Migraine Disability Assessment Test, the Migraine-Specific Quality-of-Life Questionnaire, and an institutional ad hoc survey preoperatively and postoperatively. RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients (79%) experienced greater than or equal to 50% MHI reduction. MHI decreased significantly from a median of 210 preoperatively to 12.5 postoperatively (85%; P < 0.0001). Headache Impact Test scores improved from 67 to 61 (14%; P < 0.0001). Migraine Disability Assessment Test scores improved from 57 to 20 (67%; P = 0.0022). The Migraine-Specific Quality-of-Life Questionnaire demonstrated improvement in quality-of-life scores within all three of its domains ( P < 0.0001). The authors' ad hoc survey demonstrated that participants "strongly agreed" that (1) surgery helped their symptoms, (2) they would choose surgery again, and (3) they would recommend headache surgery to others. CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of how one measures it, headache surgery is effective. The authors demonstrate that surgery significantly improves patients' quality of life and decreases the effect of headaches on patients' functioning, but headaches can still be present to a substantial degree. The extent of improvement in migraine burden and quality of life in these patients may exceed the amount of improvement demonstrated by current measures.

Evidence-Based Patient Selection in Headache Surgery: Impact of Preoperative Radiofrequency Ablation on Surgical Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of the greater occipital nerve (GON) is a minimally invasive treatment option commonly used in patients with occipital neuralgia. Patients who undergo occipital surgery for headaches after failed RFA treatment present a unique opportunity to evaluate RFA-treated occipital nerves and determine the impact on headache surgery outcomes. METHODS: Of 115 patients who underwent headache surgery at the occipital site, 29 had a history of RFA treatment. Migraine Headache Index, Pain Self- Efficacy Questionnaire, and Pain Health Questionnaire-2 outcome scores were recorded preoperatively and at follow-up visits. Intraoperative macroscopic nerve damage and surgical outcomes were compared between RFA-treated and non-RFA-treated patients. RESULTS: RFA-treated patients had a higher rate of macroscopic nerve damage (45%) than non-RFA-treated patients (24%) ( P = 0.03), and they were significantly more likely to require a second operation at the site of primary decompression (27.6% versus 5.8%; P = 0.001) and GON transection (13.8% versus 3.5%; P = 0.04). Outcome scores at the last follow-up visit showed no statistically significant difference between RFA-treated and non-RFA-treated patients ( P = 0.96). CONCLUSIONS: RFA-treated patients can ultimately achieve outcomes that are not significantly different from non-RFA-treated patients in occipital headache surgery. However, a higher number of secondary operations at the site of primary decompression and nerve transection are required to treat refractory symptoms. RFA-treated patients should be counseled about an increased risk of same-site surgery and possible GON transection to achieve acceptable outcomes. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, III.

Artificial Intelligence-Enabled Evaluation of Pain Sketches to Predict Outcomes in Headache Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence has shown that patient drawings of pain can predict poor outcomes in headache surgery. Given that interpretation of pain drawings requires some clinical experience, the authors developed a machine learning framework capable of automatically interpreting pain drawings to predict surgical outcomes. This platform will allow surgeons with less clinical experience, neurologists, primary care practitioners, and even patients to better understand candidacy for headache surgery. METHODS: A random forest machine learning algorithm was trained on 131 pain drawings provided prospectively by headache surgery patients before undergoing trigger-site deactivation surgery. Twenty-four features were used to describe the anatomical distribution of pain on each drawing for interpretation by the machine learning algorithm. Surgical outcome was measured by calculating percentage improvement in Migraine Headache Index at least 3 months after surgery. Artificial intelligence predictions were compared with clinician predictions of surgical outcome to determine artificial intelligence performance. RESULTS: Evaluation of the data test set demonstrated that the algorithm was consistently more accurate (94%) than trained clinical evaluators. Artificial intelligence weighted diffuse pain, facial pain, and pain at the vertex as strong predictors of poor surgical outcome. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that structured algorithmic analysis is able to correlate pain patterns drawn by patients to Migraine Headache Index percentage improvement with good accuracy (94%). Further studies on larger data sets and inclusion of other significant clinical screening variables are required to improve outcome predictions in headache surgery and apply this tool to clinical practice.

Minimally Invasive Nerve- and Muscle-Sparing Surgical Decompression for Occipital Neuralgia.

BACKGROUND: Occipital neuralgia is a well-defined type of headache, and its treatment algorithm is still debated across medical specialties. From the analysis of the literature, it appears that surgical decompression of the occipital nerves is the most effective invasive approach to improve the quality of life of patients with occipital neuralgia refractory to medications. The authors describe here a minimally invasive nerve- and muscle-sparing technique to decompress the occipital nerves. METHODS: The results in terms of reduction of migraine days per month, use of medications, pain evaluation, and decrease in Migraine Headache Index were analyzed by means of a retrospective chart review of 87 patients who underwent nerve- and muscle-sparing surgical decompression of the greater and lesser monolateral or bilateral occipital nerves in their institution and were followed up for at least 12 months. The surgical technique is described in detail. RESULTS: Surgical decompression significantly reduced occipital neuralgia burden (at least 50% improvement) in 91% of patients, with 45% reporting a complete remission of occipital pain. Days with pain per month decreased by 80%, chronic background pain intensity decreased by 81%, and pain intensity during crisis decreased by 76%. Accordingly, drug use dropped by approximately 70%. Only minor complications were reported in four patients. CONCLUSIONS: The described technique could contribute to and further support surgical decompression as the first option among the invasive approaches to treat occipital neuralgia. Results corroborate previous findings, adding a less-invasive, nerve- and muscle-sparing approach. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.

Migraine Surgery and Determination of Success over Time by Trigger Site: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

BACKGROUND: Migraine headache is a debilitating disorder that produces high costs and compromises patient quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate surgery success and the longevity of the surgical benefit by trigger site. METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed by querying the PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. The keywords "surgery," "migraine," "outcomes," "headache index," and synonyms in titles and abstracts were used to perform the search. RESULTS: A total of 17 articles published between 2009 and 2019 met the inclusion criteria. Six studies were prospective and 11 were retrospective. Most of the studies (77.8%, 77.8%, and 80%, respectively) reported success of migraine surgery at 12-month follow-up for trigger sites I, II, and III, respectively. For trigger site IV, the greatest Migraine Headache Index reduction (93.4%) was observed at 12-month follow-up, and the earliest Migraine Headache Index reductions (80.3% and 74.6%) were observed at 6-month follow-up. All studies that evaluated trigger sites V and VI identified surgery success at 12-month follow-up. Migraine surgery was found to remain beneficial at 22 months for trigger sites I, II, III, and IV. CONCLUSIONS: The symptomatic improvement may initially be evident at 6 months for trigger site IV and at 12 months for trigger sites I, II, III, V, and VI. Surgical benefit in trigger sites I, II, III, and IV can persist after 22 months. Further studies are required to evaluate results at longer follow-up.

Identification of potential influencing factors associated with elimination of migraine headache in patients with PFO after percutaneous closure / 中华心血管病杂志

Objective: To recognize the potential factors that contribute to the eradication of migraine headache in patients with patent foramen ovale (PFO) at one year after percutaneous closure. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted, which enrolled patients diagnosed with migraines and PFO at the Department of Structural Heart Disease, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University between May 2016 and May 2018. The patients were segregated into two groups based on their response to treatment, and one group showed elimination of migraines while another did not. Elimination of migraines was defined as a Migraine Disability Assessment Score (MIDAS) score of 0 at one year postoperatively. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression model was utilized to identify the predictive variables for migraine elimination post-PFO closure. Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to determine the independent predictive factors. Results: The study enrolled a total of 247 patients, with an average age of (37.5±13.6) years, comprising 81 male individuals (32.8%). One year after closure, 148 patients (59.9%) reported eradication of their migraines. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that migraine with or without aura (OR=0.003 9, 95%CI 0.000 2-0.058 7, P=0.000 18), a history of antiplatelet medication use (OR=0.088 2, 95%CI 0.013 7-0.319 3, P=0.001 48) and resting right-to-left shunt (RLS) (OR=6.883 6, 95%CI 3.769 2-13.548 0, P<0.001) were identified as independent predictive factors for elimination of migraine. Conclusion: Migraine with or without aura, a history of antiplatelet medication use, and resting RLS are the independent prognostic factors associated with elimination of migraine. These results provide important clues for clinicians to choose the optimal treatment plan for PFO patients. However, further studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Revisiting the Role of Occipital Artery Resection in Greater Occipital Nerve Decompression.

BACKGROUND: Greater occipital nerve surgery has been shown to improve headaches caused by nerve compression. There is a paucity of data, however, specifically regarding the efficacy of concomitant occipital artery resection. To that end, the goal of this study was to compare the efficacy of greater occipital nerve decompression with and without occipital artery resection. METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study consisted of two groups: an occipital artery resection group (artery identified and resected) and a control group (no occipital artery resection). Preoperative, 3-month, and 12-month migraine frequency, duration, intensity, Migraine Headache Index score, and complications were extracted and analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 94 patients underwent greater occipital nerve decompression and met all inclusion criteria, with 78 in the occipital artery resection group and 16 in the control group. The groups did not differ in any of the demographic factors or preoperative migraine frequency, duration, intensity, or Migraine Headache Index score. Postoperatively, both groups demonstrated a significant decrease in migraine frequency, duration, intensity, and Migraine Headache Index score. The decrease in Migraine Headache Index score was significantly greater among the occipital artery resection group than the control group ( p = 0.019). Patients in both groups had no major complications and a very low rate of minor complications. CONCLUSION: Occipital artery resection during greater occipital nerve decompression is safe and improves outcomes; therefore, it should be performed routinely. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, III.

Migraine Headaches in Patients with Upper Extremity Compressive Neuropathy.

BACKGROUND: Upper extremity nerve compression syndromes and migraines caused by nerve entrapment have many similarities, including patient presentation, anatomical findings, and treatment by surgical decompression of affected nerves. Parallels between the two conditions point toward the possibility of shared predisposition. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between migraine and upper extremity nerve compression. METHODS: Nine thousand five hundred fifty-eight patients who underwent nerve decompression surgery of the upper extremity (median, ulnar, and radial nerves and thoracic outlet syndrome) as identified by CPT and International Classification of Diseases codes were included in the analysis. International Classification of Diseases codes for migraine and comorbidities included as part of the Elixhauser Comorbidity Index were identified. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression was performed. RESULTS: Median nerve decompression (OR, 1.3; 95 percent CI, 1.0 to 1.8; p = 0.046) and multiple nerve decompressions (OR, 1.7; 95 percent CI, 1.2 to 2.5; p = 0.008) were independently associated with higher rates of migraine compared to ulnar nerve decompression and thoracic outlet syndrome. Older age and male sex had a negative association with migraine. History of psychiatric disease, rheumatoid arthritis/collagen vascular diseases, hypothyroidism, hypertension, and chronic pulmonary disease were independently associated with migraine headache. CONCLUSIONS: Patients who undergo median and multiple nerve decompression are more likely to experience migraine headache. It is important to recognize this overlap and provide comprehensive patient screening for both conditions. This shared predisposition and better understanding of a common disease mechanism and genetics may provide greater insight into the pathogenesis and therefore treatment of these clinical problems. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Risk, III.

Principles and techniques of migraine surgery.

OBJECTIVE: The idea to treat migraine patients with a surgical procedure is relatively recent. The aim of this paper was to describe the surgical techniques and our 11-year experience in migraine surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From June 2011 till December 2021, we have performed MH decompression surgery over 527 patients with either frontal (90 pts), occipital (232 pts) or temporal (205 pts) migraine trigger sites. RESULTS: The surgical procedure elicited a positive response in: (a) occipital trigger site, 95% of patients (86% complete recovery); (b) frontal trigger site, 87% of patients (32% complete recovery); (c) temporal trigger site, 88% of patients (50% complete recovery). CONCLUSIONS: The described techniques allowed us to obtain a high rate of positive results with a low percentage of minor complications.