The Korean Journal of Pain

The Korean Pain Society (대한통증학회)
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Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment of the Supraorbital and Supratrochlear Nerve in a Case of Trigeminal Neuralgia -A case report-

삼차신경통 환자에서 안와상 신경과 활차상 신경에 시행한 박동성 고주파술에 의한 치료경험 -증례보고-

  • Seo, Kwi Chu (Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu) ;
  • Shin, Heung Dong (Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu) ;
  • Kim, Jong Hae (Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu) ;
  • Song, Seok Young (Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu) ;
  • Rho, Woon Seok (Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu) ;
  • Chung, Jin Yong (Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, School of Medicine, Catholic University of Daegu)
  • 서귀주 (대구가톨릭대학교 의과대학 마취통증의학교실) ;
  • 신흥동 (대구가톨릭대학교 의과대학 마취통증의학교실) ;
  • 김종해 (대구가톨릭대학교 의과대학 마취통증의학교실) ;
  • 송석영 (대구가톨릭대학교 의과대학 마취통증의학교실) ;
  • 노운석 (대구가톨릭대학교 의과대학 마취통증의학교실) ;
  • 정진용 (대구가톨릭대학교 의과대학 마취통증의학교실)
  • Received : 2009.02.17
  • Accepted : 2009.03.19
  • Published : 2009.08.01
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Abstract

Pharmacological management is the first choice for treatment of the trigeminal neuralgia patients; however, if this mode of treatment fails a minimally invasive procedure should be performed. One of the most commonly used procedures is conventional radiofrequency lesioning of the Gasserian ganglion. Despite its popularity and success rate, this technique has disadvantages such as diminished corneal reflex, masseter weakness, numbness and anesthesia dolorosa. As a result, many studies have been conducted in an attempt to find a better method of treating trigeminal neuralgia. We report here a case of a trigeminal neuralgia patient that was treated with pulsed radiofrequency lesioning of the supraorbital and supratrochlear nerve due to pain in the frontal head that was refractory to the pharmacological treatments. Following the procedure, the Visual Analogue Scale score for pain decreased to 1-2/10 and the pain relief persisted for 7 months. These results indicate that pulsed radiofrequency treatment of the peripheral nerve may be useful for trigeminal neuralgia patients that do not respond to pharmacological treatments.

Keywords

References

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