Double targets percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation in treatment of primary trigeminal neuralgia

Abstract

Objective To discuss the curative effect of double targets percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation (PRT) on primary trigeminal neuralgia (PTN) and its safety. Methods Sixty patients with PTN were randomly divided into single target treatment group and double targets treatment group. CT guided stereotactic location was used to navigate PRT; patients in the single target treatment group only accepted one target damage and those in the double targets treatment group accepted target damage with 3 mm of deep and shallow interval. The curative effects and complications were compared one week, 3 months, one and 2 years after the surgery. Results The percentage of patients with good curative effect in double targets treatment group was significantly higher than that in single target treatment group one and 2 years after surgery, with statistically significant difference (86.7% vs. 60%, 70% vs. 45%, P 0.05). Ipsilateralfacial hypaesthesia of different degrees appeared in both groups, but complications as keratohelcosis, diplopia, chewing weakness or difficulty in opening mouth did not appear. And the degree of facial numbness in double targets treatment group was a little higher than that in single target treatment group without statistical significance (P>0.05). Conclusion Double targets PRT used in PTN treatment can obviously improve the postoperative pain relief and do not apparently increase the degree of postoperative facial numbness as compared with single target PRT. Key words: Double target; Radiofrequency thermocoagulation; Trigeminal neuralgia