Glycerol rhizotomy in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia

Background. Destructive surgical methods for the treatment of drug-resistant trigeminal neuralgia in the Russian clinical recommendations are classified as options, but at the same time they are in demand and often found in clinical practice. One of them is glycerin rhizotomy by S. Hakanson.

Aim. To evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia using glycerin rhizotomy by S. Hakanson.

Materials and methods. A retrospective cohort study was carried out: the results of treatment with glycerol rhizotomy were analyzed in 202 patients with trigeminal neuralgia, who were treated at the Irkutsk City Clinical Hospital No. 1 from 2009 to 2022 years. To study the follow-up, the telephone interview was carried out with 107 patients. Based on the analysis of the literature, the data were compared with the results of the treatment of other surgical methods.

Results. Initial pain relief after surgery was noted in 95 % of patients. Recurrence of pain syndrome (III-V class on the Barrow Neurological Institute Pain Scale) was observed in 32.7 % of patients, while the medium pain intensity on the visual analogue scale score was 7.3 ± 0.26. Pain-free period was 27.7 ± 3.6 of months. There were no deaths.

Conclusion. Glycerin rhizotomy provides immediate pain relief in patients with drug-resistant trigeminal neuralgia. This procedure is effective, minimally invasive, safe, simple and painless for patients in compliance with the algorithm.

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