Treatment Options For Trigeminal Neuralgia

Brain Stereotactic Radiosurgery

Brain stereotactic radiosurgery, otherwise known as Gamma Knife radiosurgery, isn't actually a surgical procedure. Like other types of stereotactic radiosurgery, this procedure doesn't involve an incision. Rather than cutting into the body, the procedure uses special equipment to focus around two hundred tiny radiation beams on the target. Since the technology is accurate to within a millimeter or so, the procedure can target one specific area of the brain without damaging healthy tissues. In most cases, it's used to treat brain tumors. With trigeminal neuralgia, the procedure targets the place the trigeminal nerve enters the brain stem. Rather than treating the underlying cause of the pain, the procedure damages the nerve so it is unable to transmit pain signals. This is the least invasive non-medication treatment option for trigeminal neuralgia, so it's a good choice for patients who cannot take certain medications but also cannot risk the complications associated with invasive surgery. Patients tend to require little or no anesthesia for the treatment. It should be noted the results from radiosurgery often take longer to appear than with other treatments. Rather than being immediately effective, they might take anywhere from four weeks to eight months for a full response.

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Radiofrequency Thermal Lesioning

Radiofrequency thermal lesioning is a medical procedure in which specialized needles create lesions along specific nerves. The needles cause the nerve to reach a temperature of eighty degrees Celsius. The heat is applied for around two to three minutes, which deadens the nerve's ability to send pain signals. Though the body attempts to regrow blocked nerves, the process might take a year or longer. Some patients have seen a reduction in their symptoms for at least twelve months. Radiofrequency lesioning is usually used in trigeminal neuralgia and other conditions caused by nerve pain from the facial nerves. Before a patient can undergo a lesioning treatment, they must have shown good responses to local anesthetic blocks previously. Radiofrequency thermal lesioning is much more effective in those who have responded well to having their nerves temporarily blocked. About seventy to eighty percent of patients report their nerve is blocked well enough to relieve some pain. In some cases, blocking the nerve will help isolate pain caused by other nerves as well.

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