• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.359-366
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• 2007

Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition associated with severe episodic lancinating facial pain subject to remissions and relapses. Trigeminal neuralgia is often associated with blood vessel cross compression of the root entry zone or more rarely with demyelinating diseases and occasionally with direct compression by neoplasms of the posterior fossa. If initial medical management fails to control pain or is associated with unacceptable side effects, a variety of surgical procedures offer the hope for long-lasting pain relief or even cure. For patients who are healthy without significant medical co-morbidities, direct microsurgical vascular decompression [MVD] offers treatment that is often definitive. Other surgical options are effective for elderly patients not suitable for MVD. Percutaneous retrogasserian glycerol rhizotomy is a minimally invasive technique that is based on anatomic definition of the trigeminal cistern followed by injection of anhydrous glycerol to produce a weak neurolytic effect on the post-ganglionic fibers. Other percutaneous management strategies include radiofrequency rhizotomy and balloon compression. More recently, stereotactic radiosurgery has been used as a truly minimally invasive strategy. It also is anatomically based using high resolution MRI to define the retrogasserian target. Radiosurgery provides effective symptomatic relief in the vast majority of patients, especially those who have never had prior surgical procedures. For younger patients, we recommend microvascular decompression. For patients with severe exacerbations of their pain and who need rapid response to treatment, we suggest glycerol rhizotomy. For other patients, gamma knife radiosurgery represents an effective management strategy with excellent preservation of existing facial sensation.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.59 no.6
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• pp.637-642
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• 2016

Objective : Although many treatment modalities have been introduced for trigeminal neuralgia (TN), the long-term clinical results remain unsatisfactory. It has been particularly challenging to determine an appropriate treatment strategy for patients who have responded poorly to initial therapies. We analyzed the surgical outcomes in TN patients who failed prior treatments. Methods : We performed a retrospective analysis of 37 patients with recurrent or persistent TN symptoms who underwent surgery at our hospital between January 2010 and December 2014. Patients with follow-up data of at least one year were included. The prior treatment modalities of the 37 patients included microvascular decompression (MVD), gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS), and percutaneous procedures such as radiofrequency rhizotomy (RFR), balloon compression, and glycerol rhizotomy (GR). The mean follow-up period was 69.9 months (range : 16-173). The mean interval between the prior treatment and second surgery was 26 months (range : 7-123). We evaluated the surgical outcomes using the Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) pain intensity scale. Results : Among the 37 recurrent or persistent TN patients, 22 underwent MVD with partial sensory rhizotomy (PSR), 8 received MVD alone, and 7 had PSR alone. Monitoring of the surgical treatment outcomes via the BNI pain intensity scale revealed 8 (21.6%) patients with a score of I, 13 (35.1%) scoring II, 13 (35.1%) scoring III, and 3 (8.2%) scoring IV at the end of the follow-up period. Overall, 91.8% of patients had good surgical outcomes. With regard to postoperative complications, 1 patient had transient cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea (2.7%), another had a subdural hematoma (2.7%), and facial sensory changes were noted in 8 (21.1%) patients after surgery. Conclusion : Surgical interventions, such as MVD and PSR, are safe and very effective treatment modalities in TN patients who failed initial or prior treatments. We presume that the combination of MVD with PSR enabled us to obtain good short- and long-term surgical outcomes. Therefore, aggressive surgical treatment should be considered in patients with recurrent TN despite failure of various treatment modalities.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.65 no.5
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• pp.622-632
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• 2022

Microvascular decompression is the gold standard for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (TN). However, percutaneous techniques still play a role in treating patients with TN and offer several important advantages and efficiency in obtaining immediate pain relief, which is also durable in a less invasive and safe manner. Patients' preference for a less invasive method can influence the procedure they will undergo. Neurovascular conflict is not always a prerequisite for patients with TN. In addition, recurrence and failure of the previous procedure can influence the decision to follow the treatment. Therefore, indications for percutaneous procedures for TN persist when patients experience idiopathic and episodic sharp shooting pain. In this review, we provide an overview of percutaneous procedures for TN and its outcome and complication.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.112-139
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• 2000

I examined and referred to literatures of every generations on the nicknames, causes, herb medications and acupucture treatments of ptosis(上胞下垂). And then the results were obtained as follows. We've compared and analyzed Occidental and Oriental medical causes, symptoms and treatments of Primary trigeminal neuralgia and wanted to get better effects by a cooperative analysis. So the examination and analysis of the recent treatment tendency and reference bibliography show the following results. 1. Trigeminal neuralgia is nerve systematic disease appearing in the distribution scope of trigeminal nerve. It's characterized by extreme pain accompanying with a repeated and simultaneous fit from several seconds to 1-2 minutes. 2. Though there are many hypothesis on the trigeminal neuralgia, but now many doctors agree that when trigeminal nerve is under the local out of sheath conditions resulting from receiving a chronic stimulus, and the nucleus of trigeminal nerve fire, owing to decrease of pain control function and abnormal occurrence of action potential, it would be appeared. 3. The Oriental medical name of trigeminal neuralgia is generally Dootong, Doopoong, Myuntong, Pyundootong, Pyundoopoong, and Myuntong is the nearest in Occidental medicine. 4. The Oriental medical cause of trigeminal neuralgia is usually divided into Wekam and Naesang. The first one is caused by Poonghan, Poongyul, Damhwa and wicked energy enter into the body, the mechanical energy is obstructed and can't move any more, so the pain appears by them. The other cause is the hurt by emotion. And it would be loss of the transportain of liver and obstructed, so result into Kanwulhwahwa, Kanpoongnaedong and the pain appears. 5. There are two methods of curing trigeminal neuralgia. As a medication, primary method is prescribing Carbamazepine and the second is using Phenytoin or Baclofen. And as a operation, Drug injection of trigeminal nerve, Amputation of branches of trigeminal nerve, Retrogasserian glycerol rhizotomy, Radiofrequency gangliolysis, Neurovascular decompression can be used. 6. There are several herb medicines for Trigeminal neuralgia. First, Chungung is good for Hwaejeetong, Keopoongjedam, Hwalhyuljeetong. Second, Jeongal, Jiryong, Okong is used for Sikpoonghekyung, Tongkyungjeetong. Third, Baekjee, Sesin, Cheonma, Manhyungja is efficacious in Sinonhepyo. Sanpoongjeetong. Fourth, for falling of liver's Wulhwa, Yongdamcho, Hyungge, Kukwha can be used. And also Saengjihwang, Hwangkm is good for going down the fever of Yangmyungwiyul and finally, Baekkangjam. Moryu can be effective for Jaumjamyang, Haekyungjitong. The other medicines can be used as assistant analgesics, and it also efficacious. 7. Generally the points of pain on the face and the points of Soyangkyung and Yangmyungkyung is used for Acupuntual therapy, because the two meridians passed on the face. Hakwan. Sabaek, Kwanryo, Keoryo, Hyubkeo, Taeyang, Jeechang, Younghyang, Eoyo, Chanjuk. Yangbaek. Sajukkong. Dooyoo, Kwangsangjum, Sengjang, Poongjee is used for taking near point and Joksamlee, Naejung, Habkok is used for taking distant point. 8. Dansam or Danggui injection which have a effect for Hwalhyulhwaeo, Sokyunghwalak and Vit B1, Vit B2, Vit B12, $2\%$ Hydrochloroprocaine, $1\%$ Lidocaine injection to pain point for local analgesics had so good effect. And external application and moxibustion are used for another treatment. 9. It proved that through mouse model, both Herb medication group and Drug medication group are efficacious for trigeminal neuralgia similarly and also the cooperative medication group shows more effective result than the only drug medication group.