• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.93-99
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• 2010

Herpes zoster (HZ) is the secondary manifestation of an earlier infection with the varicella-zoster virus in one or more dermatomes. As reactivation of the virus is linked to an age-related diminished virus-specific and cell-mediated immunity, HZ develops mainly in elderly people. Acute zoster is painful, but does not incur lasting morbidity. Reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus in the trigeminal nerve (Herpes zoster) occur with severe pain and rash in the oro-facial region. The acute pain decreases as the rash begins to heal. Postherpetic neuralgia(PHN), the most frequent complication of herpes zoster, is usually defined as pain in the involved dermatome that is still present 3 month after rash onset. The clinical characteristics of PHN are, eposodic stabbing pain, burning pain and allodynia, with hypoesthesia and/or dysesthesia. $Neurometer^{(R)}$(neuroselective sensory nerve conduction threshold: sNCT, Automated current perception threshold: CPT, neurotron incorporated. Baltimore, Maryland. 21209 U.S.A.) is convenient, rapid and noninvasive, and allows objective assessment of sensory disturbance. This case is about the postherptic neuralgia patient assessed with $Neurometer^{(R)}$. From this case, we reviewed the pathophysiology and the treatment of PHN and recommend the assessment of pain intensity with $Neurometer^{(R)}$ as quantitative and objective method.

• Journal of Korean Dental Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 2014

Herpes zoster (HZ) is an acute, unilateral inflammatory viral infection characterized by a rash with painful blisters in a localized area of the body. HZ is often associated with intense pain in the acute phase and presents postherpetic neuralgia in the chronic phase. During the prodromal stage of the HZ from the trigeminal nerve, however, the only presenting symptom may be odontalgia, which could be particularly difficult to diagnose. This distinctive syndrome occurs predominantly in the immunocompromised or elderly individuals. In this article, we report a case of HZ developed in the trigeminal nerve of a 60-year-old immunocompromised female patient, whose symptoms including atypical, non-odontogenic odontalgia had improved after series of antiviral treatments.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.268-272
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• 2007

Herpes zoster is caused when the varicella zoster virus(VZV) that has remained latent since an earlier varicella infection is reactivated with cutaneous and mucous manifestations. They occur in 20% cases in the trigeminal area and typical manifestations are neuralgias simulating dental pain, also vesicles with an erythematous halo located in the territory of the second and third trigemial branch. They erupt on the skin, the lips, tongue, palate and cheeks. With an ever-increasing number of elderly and immunocompromised patients attending the dentist, the dental profession can expect to encounter an increased number of herpes zoster patients. Furthermore, the oral and maxillofacial surgeons must be familiar with the presenting signs and symptoms of patients experiencing the prodromal manifestations and oral complication of herpes zoster of the trigeminal nerve. As presentation of our patient with ulcer on hard palate caused by herpes zoster, current treatment of herpes zoster and post-herpetic neuralgia are discussed.

• 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.64 no.6
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• pp.966-974
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• 2021

Objective : To explore the clinical efficacy and safety of microvascular decompression (MVD) combined with internal neurolysis (IN) in the treatment of recurrent trigeminal neuralgia (TN) after MVD. Methods : Sixty-four patients with recurrent TN admitted to the hospital from January 2014 to December 2017 were divided into two groups according to the surgical method. Twenty-nine patients, admitted from January 2014 to December 2015, were treated with MVD alone, whereas 35 admitted from January 2016 to December 2017 were treated with MVD+IN. The postoperative efficacy, complications, and pain recurrence rate of the two groups were analyzed. Results : The efficacy of the MVD+IN and MVD groups were 88.6% and 86.2%, and the cure rates were 77.1% and 65.5% respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p>0.05). The cure rate (83.3%) of patients in the MVD+IN group, who were only found thickened arachnoid adhesions during the operation that could not be fully released, was significantly higher than that of the MVD group (30.0%) (p<0.05), while the efficacy (91.7% vs. 70%) of the two groups was not statistically different (p>0.05). For patients whose arachnoid adhesions were completely released, there had no significant difference (p>0.05) in the efficacy (87% vs. 94.7%) and recurrence rate (5.0% vs. 11.1%). The incidence of postoperative facial numbness (88.6%) in the MVD+IN group was higher than that in the MVD group (10.3%) (p<0.01). The long-term incidence of facial numbness was not statistically significant (p>0.05). In the 18-36 months follow-up, the recurrence rate of patients in the MVD+IN group (9.7%) and in the MVD group (16%) were not statistically different (p>0.05). Conclusion : A retrospective comparison of patients with recurrent TN showed that both MVD and MVD combined with IN can effectively treat recurrent TN. Compared with MVD alone, MVD combined with IN can effectively improve the pain cure rate of patients with recurrent TN who have only severe arachnoid adhesions. The combination does not increase the incidence of long-term facial numbness and other complications.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to analyse brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) wave change data during microvascular decompression (MVD). The nerve function of Cranial Nerve VIII is at risk during MVD. Intraoperative monitoring of BAEP can be a useful tool to decrease the danger of hearing loss. Between January and December 2009, 242 patients had MVD for hemifacial spasm (HFS) and trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Among intraoperative BAEP changes, amplitude of V-V' was the most frequently observed during cerebellar retraction and decompression step of the MVD procedure. 138 patients (57%) had no BAEP change while 104 patients (42.98%) had BAEP change. 69 patients (28.5%) had Type A-I, 16 patients (6.6%) had Type A-II, 5 patients (2.1%) had Type B, and 13 patients (5.37%) had Type C. MVD is a surgical procedure to relieve the symptoms (e.g. pain, muscle twitching) caused by compression of a nerve by an artery or vein. During BAEP intraoperative monitoring, the surgical step is important in interpreting the changes of wave V. Several potential mechanisms of injury may affect the cochlear nerve, and complete loss of BAEP is often associated with postoperative hearing loss. Intraoperative BAEP monitoring may provide an early warning of hearing disturbance after MVD.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.104-106
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• 2006

Tolosa-Hunt syndrome is a rare self-limiting disease that's characterized by painful ophthalmoplegia. It has a relapsing and remitting course, and the pain responds promptly to systemic corticosteroid therapy. Yet it is diagnosed by the exclusion of other major causes involving the superior orbital fissure or cavernous sinus, including trauma, neoplasm, aneurysm and inflammation. Further, the associated ophthalmoplegia may follow days to weeks after the onset of orbital or hemifacial pain. Hence, this condition is often misdiagnosed as atypical facial pain, and so improper management could result in unnecessary suffering of the patient. The following case describes a patient suffering with hemifacial pain associated with ipsilateral abducens nerve palsy, which was evident 2 weeks after the onset of pain, and this was misdiagnosed as trigeminal neuralgia and atypical facial pain.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.282-284
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• 2006

Percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation has been applied in patients with various forms of chronic pain, such as facet joint pain, cancer pain and trigeminal neuralgia. A major portion of the hip joint is innervated by the articular branches of the femoral and obturator nerves. Radiofrequency thermocoagulation of the articular branches of the obturator and femoral nerves can be a good alternative treatment for patients with hip joint pain, especially in those where surgery is not applicable. A patient suffering hip joint pain due to metastatic cancer underwent multiple radiofrequency lesioning of the femoral and obturator nerves at $80^{\circ}C$ for 120 seconds, using a Racz-Finch Kit. The patient experienced about a 50% reduction in the pain, without any numbness or other side effects.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.4-18
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• 2021

Except for carbamazepine for trigeminal neuralgia, gabapentinoid anticonvulsants have been the standard for the treatment of neuropathic pain. Pregabalin, which followed gabapentin, was developed with the benefit of rapid peak blood concentration and better bioavailability. Mirogabalin besylate (DS-5565, Tarlige®) shows greater sustained analgesia due to a high affinity to, and slow dissociation from, the α2δ-1 subunits in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG). Additionally, it produces a lower level of central nervous system-specific adverse drug reactions (ADRs), due to a low affinity to, and rapid dissociation from, the α2δ-2 subunits in the cerebellum. Maximum plasma concentration is achieved in less than 1 hour, compared to 1 hour for pregabalin and 3 hours for gabapentin. The plasma protein binding is relatively low, at less than 25%. As with all gabapentinoids, it is also largely excreted via the kidneys in an unchanged form, and so the administration dose should also be adjusted according to renal function. The equianalgesic daily dose for 30 mg of mirogabalin is 600 mg of pregabalin and over 1,200 mg of gabapentin. The initial adult dose starts at 5 mg, given orally twice a day, and is gradually increased by 5 mg at an interval of at least a week, to 15 mg. In conclusion, mirogabalin is anticipated to be a novel, safe gabapentinoid anticonvulsant with a greater therapeutic effect for neuropathic pain in the DRG and lower ADRs in the cerebellum.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.50-60
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• 2001

In order to review the studies related to the facial pain by acupuncture, we have referred to a PubMed site by using MeSH searching word of "facial pain and acupuncture". 12 journals with 20 papers were reported on the facial pain and acupuncture. Among them, 4 papers were appeared in Am J Chin Med, 3 in Acupunct Electrother Res, 2 in Br. Dent J, J Orofac Pain and Swed Dent J respectively, and 1 in 7 journals respectively. According to the classification of the patterns, 15 papers were done by clinical studies, 2 by review and meta-analysis respectively, and 1 by experimental study. TMD was the most disease that related to facial pain and CMD, neurogenic facial pain (trigeminal neuralgia, postherpetic pain), dental pain and MPS were also appeared. Most of the studies didn't mention the acupuncture points, L14 Habkok in 4 papers and ST36 Chogsamni in a paper were only mentioned. Various modalities were applied in the trials such as classical acupuncture, electroacupuncture, TENS, SSP and auricular acupuncture. By the above results, we concluded that various acupuncture techniques are used with effectiveness on the facial pain. It would be needed further research on the acupuncture point specific and therapeutic techniques as well.