Tag: balloon compression

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Alternative customized instrumentation and technique for percutaneous balloon compression rhizotomy for trigeminal neuralgia

J Neurosurg 132:1938–1941, 2020

Trigeminal neuralgia is a debilitating disease that can be treated effectively by a number of modalities. Percutaneous balloon compression rhizotomy of the gasserian ganglion is an important technique that can be offered as a primary or secondary strategy after failure of medical therapy. However, the commercial kit for this procedure was discontinued in the United States in early 2016 and therefore is not currently available. The authors describe a low-cost, effective solution for continuing to offer this procedure using equipment already available in most hospitals.

METHODS The authors provide a detailed equipment list with step-by-step instructions on how to prepare all the necessary items and perform a percutaneous balloon compression rhizotomy.

RESULTS The custom “homemade” kit and technique described have been utilized successfully since June 2016 in 34 patients. The kit is a low-cost alternative, and its application does not add any operative time beyond that required for the previously commercially available kit.

CONCLUSIONS Percutaneous balloon compression rhizotomy of the gasserian ganglion is an important technique that should be readily available to patients who are not medically fit for microvascular decompression and need immediate relief of their pain. The alternative kit described here can be assembled easily using equipment that is readily available in most hospitals.

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The Effectiveness of Percutaneous Balloon Compression, Thermocoagulation, and Glycerol Rhizolysis for Trigeminal Neuralgia in Multiple Sclerosis

Neurosurgery 85:E684–E692, 2019

Balloon compression (BC),thermocoagulation (TC),and glycerol rhizolysis (GR) are percutaneous surgical options for trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Whether the outcomes of these procedures in multiple sclerosis-related TN (MS-TN) are as effective as in idiopathic TN (ITN) is unknown.

OBJECTIVE: To retrospectively compare pain relief, complications, and durability achieved by these 3 types of procedures in MS-TN and ITN.

METHODS: Two hundred and four patients with typical TN were treated percutaneously: 33 had MS-TN (64 procedures) and 171 had ITN (329 procedures). All were performed by 1 of 2 neurosurgeons; interviews enabled long-term data to be gathered by an independent observer.

RESULTS: MS-TN patients (53.1%) had Barrow Neurological Institute pain scores of I or II after a percutaneous procedure, compared with 59.3% in the ITN cohort; there was no difference in initial relief between the 2 groups overall (P = .52). There was a trend toward fewer complications in MS-TN compared with ITN (23.4% vs 33.7%, respectively; P = .058). Kaplan–Meier analysis demonstrated no difference in durability of relief in MS-TN (median 23.0 mo) compared with ITN overall (median 24.0 mo; P = .75). Subgroup analysis demonstrated longer relief from BC and TC compared with GR in MS-TN (P = .013). Multivariate analysis confirmed that although the presence of MS does not predict durability of outcome, postoperative numbness (P = .0046) and undergoing a repeat procedure (P = .037) were significant predictors.

CONCLUSION: BC and TC are safe and effective in MS-TN. Postoperative numbness is the strongest prognostic factor in MS-TN.

 

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Electromagnetic neuronavigation for the percutaneous treatment of trigeminal neuralgia with balloon compression

Acta Neurochirurgica (2018) 160:1337–1341

Several techniques have been described for the percutaneous treatment of trigeminal neuralgia; however, each has significant drawbacks. We propose a new technique for percutaneous balloon compression of the trigeminal ganglion and distal trigeminal nerve using electromagnetic (EM) neuronavigation.

Methods The procedure was performed in 17 consecutive patients with trigeminal neuralgia. Patients were then followed up with telephone interview. We also performed a cadaveric validation study to further investigate the accuracy of the technique using dye.

Results Excellent clinical outcomes were achieved with a reduction in the median pain score from 10 out of 10 to 0 out of 10 following the procedure. The cadaveric study also demonstrated a high rate of foramen ovale cannulation.

Conclusion EM-based targeting of the foramen ovale and balloon inflation within Meckel’s cave is a quick, reproducible and straightforward technique for the percutaneous treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.

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Retrogasserian balloon compression for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. Series of 901 patients

RGBC

Surgical Neurology International 2014, 5:118

The aim of our study was to describe the retrogasserian balloon compression (RGBC) procedure with some personal tricks and to assess the long‑term results.

Methods: Between 1985 and 2012, 901 patients, suffering from refractory trigeminal neuralgia (TN), underwent RGBC procedure in our department. Concerning the surgical technique, the introducer was in close contact with the posterior extremity of the horizontal plate of the palatine bone and had the direction of the bisector of the angle clivus‑superior edge of the petrous bone on an X‑rays sagittal view. No metallic material was inserted intracranially. The balloon was inflated with 0.7 cc of contrast medium for 6 min.

Results: At 1 month follow up, appreciable pain relief was obtained in 835 patients (92.7%). At 1 year, results were excellent in 605 patients (67.1%), satisfactory in 109 patients (12.1%), poor in 57 patients (6.3%), fair in 66 patients (7.3%), whereas recurrences were observed in the remaining 64 patients (7.2%). At mean follow up of 16,5 years, 559 (62%) patients remained pain free. Twenty six patients (2,8%) continued to experience severe pain. Recurrences occurred in two hundred and fifty patients (27,8%). Fifty two of them were operated on a third time and 22 underwent four procedures.

Conclusion: RGBC is an appropriate and effective procedure for treatment of refractory TN, ensuring a long lasting pain relief predicted on three factors: pear shape of the balloon, its volume, and duration as mentioned earlier.

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A Review of Percutaneous Treatments for Trigeminal Neuralgia

A Review of Percutaneous Treatments for Trigeminal Neuralgia

Operative Neurosurgery 10:25–33, 2014

Common treatments for trigeminal neuralgia include percutaneous techniques, microvascular decompression, and Gamma Knife radiosurgery. Although microvascular decompression is considered the gold standard for treatment, percutaneous techniques remain an effective option for select patients.

OBJECTIVE: To review the historical development, advantages, and limitations of the most common percutaneous procedures for trigeminal neuralgia: balloon compression (BC), glycerol rhizotomy (GR), and radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RF).

METHODS: Publications reporting clinical outcomes after BC, GR, and RF were reviewed and included. Operative technique was based on the experience of the primary surgeon and senior author.

RESULTS: All 3 percutaneous techniques (BC, GR, and RF) provide effective pain relief but differ in method and specificity of nerve injury. BC selectively injures larger pain fibers while sparing small fibers and does not require an awake, cooperative patient. Pain control rates up to 91% at 6 months and 66% at 3 years have been reported. RF allows somatotopic nerve mapping and selective division lesioning and provides pain relief in up to 97% of patients initially and 58% at 5 years. Multiple treatments improve outcomes but carry significant morbidity risk. GR offers similar pain-free outcomes of 90% at 6 months and 54% at 3 years but with higher complication rates (25% vs 16%) compared with BC. Advantages of percutaneous techniques include shorter procedure duration, minimal anesthesia risk, and in the case of GR and RF, immediate patient feedback.

CONCLUSION: Percutaneous treatments for trigeminal neuralgia remain safe, simple, and effective for achieving good pain control while minimizing procedural risk.

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Factors That Influence Outcome of Percutaneous Balloon Compression in the Treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia

Neurosurgery 0:1–10, 2010 DOI: 10.1227/NEU.0b013e3181eb5230

Percutaneous balloon compression is an effective, low-cost, simple therapeutic modality with the special advantage of being the only percutaneous technique that can be simply performed with the patient under general anesthesia for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.

OBJECTIVE: To identify surgical and individual parameters that could influence outcome in patients with trigeminal neuralgia treated with percutaneous balloon compression.

METHODS: Within a 5-year period, 66 consecutive percutaneous balloon compressions were performed in 47 patients. The medical and surgical records of all patients were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed for a possible correlation between the following parameters and outcome: balloon shape, balloon volume, compression time, age, sex, type of pain, duration of disease, previous procedures, and trigeminal division affected. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to test for statistical significance.

RESULTS: The initial success rate was 85%, and 36% of the responders are still pain free with a mean follow-up of approximately 20 months, whereas in 33 patients, trigeminal pain recurred after a mean of approximately 17 months. Of the investigated parameters, significant correlations were obtained between balloon shape and all aspects of outcome, previous operations and complication rate, pain type and complication rate, and compression time and postoperative numbness.

CONCLUSION: The balloon shape is a parameter with a very strong impact on outcome, and balloon volume should be adjusted to this parameter. Persistent elliptical balloon shapes should raise consideration of aborting the procedure. There were no differences in outcomes between 60 seconds and longer compression times. The number of previous operations did not correlate with pain relief, but seemed to increase the risk of complications. Patients with multiple sclerosis seemed to obtain similar benefit from the procedure as do patients with classic trigeminal neuralgia.

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Comparison of percutaneous balloon compression and glycerol rhizotomy for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia

J Neurosurg 113:486–492, 2010.DOI: 10.3171/2010.1.JNS091106

The aim of this study was to compare percutaneous balloon compression (PBC) and percutaneous retrogasserian glycerol rhizotomy (PRGR) in terms of effectiveness, complications, and technical aspects.

Methods. Sixty-six consecutive PBC procedures were performed in 45 patients between January 2004 and December 2008, and 120 PRGR attempts were performed in 101 patients between January 2006 and December 2008. The PRGR procedures were not completed due to technical reasons in 19 cases. Five patients in the Balloon Compression Group and 9 patients in the Glycerol Group were lost to follow-up and were excluded from the study. The medical records and the intraoperative fluoroscopic images from the remaining cases were retrospectively examined, and the follow-up was completed with telephone contact, when necessary. The 2 groups were compared in terms of initial effect, duration of effect, and rates of complications as well as severity and type of complications.

Results. The rates for immediate pain relief were 87% for patients treated with glycerol injection and 85% for patients treated with balloon compression. The Kaplan-Meier plots for the 2 treatment modalities were similar. The 50% recurrence time was 21 months for the balloon procedure and 16 months for the glycerol procedure. When the groups were broken down by the “previous operations” criterion, the 50% recurrence time was 24 months for the Glycerol First Procedure Group, 6 months for the Balloon First Procedure Group, 8 months for the Glycerol Previous Procedures Group, and 21 months for the Balloon Previous Procedures Group. The rates of complications (excluding numbness) were 11% for PRGR and 23% for PBC, and this difference was statistically significant (chi-square test, p = 0.04).

Conclusions. Both PRGR and PBC are effective techniques for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia, with PRGR presenting some advantages in terms of milder and fewer complications and allowing lighter anesthesia without compromise of analgesia. For these reasons the authors consider PRGR as the first option for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia in patients who are not suitable candidates or are not willing to undergo microvascular decompression, while PBC is reserved for patients in whom the effect of PRGR has proven to be short or difficult to repeat due to cisternal fibrosis.

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