Efficacy and safety of CT-guided percutaneous pulsed radiofrequency treatment of the Gasserian ganglion in patients with medically intractable idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia

Abstract

Background

There is a lack of prospective studies for the long-term results of percutaneous pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) of the Gasserian ganglion in the treatment of patients with medically refractory trigeminal neuralgia (TN).

Methods and results

We prospectively observed the outcomes of 28 idiopathic TN patients (between July 2013 and July 2016) who received CT-guided percutaneous PRF treatment of the Gasserian ganglion. All of the patients had stopped responding to drug therapy before PRF treatment. The effective treatment standard was a reduction in the pain numeric rating scale (NRS) by ≥50% after the procedure. The postoperative NRS score decreased gradually from preoperative 7.6±0.8 months to 1.5±2.4, 0.2±0.4, 0.2±0.4, 0.1±0.4, and 0.1±0.4 at 1, 3, and 6 months and 1 and 2 years after the PRF treatment. The response rates at 1, 3, and 6 months were 85.7%, and the rates at 12 months and 2 years were maintained at 78.6%. No serious side effects were observed.

Conclusion

CT-guided PRF invention is an effective and safe technique for medically intractable idiopathic TN patients. This minimally invasive alternative treatment has the potential as a first-line therapy for TN.