Salvage gamma knife surgery for recurrent glossopharyngeal neuralgia following microvascular decompression: a retrospective case series.

Abstract

Although microvascular decompression (MVD) is recognized as the preferred therapy for drug-resistant idiopathic glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN), the management of recurrent GPN following MVD is seldom mentioned in the current literature. This study aims to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of salvage Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) in the treatment of recurrent GPN after MVD. From October 2012 to January 2018, seven patients (three males and four females) underwent salvage GKS for recurrent GPN following MVD, including two patients who received repeat GKS due to pain recurrence after their initial GKS salvage. The median age was 69 years (range 49-81 years) at first GKS and 72 years (67 years; 77 years) at second GKS. The delivered dose was 80 or 90 Gy at first GKS and 90 Gy at second GKS. Pain outcome was assessed according to the Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) score. The median duration of follow-up after first GKS was 68 months (range 29-89 months) and 45 months (56 months; 33 months) after second GKS. The median time to pain response was 24 days (range, 6-80 days). One patient experienced palatoglossal hyperesthesia after first GKS, and no complications were noted after second GKS. At the last follow-up, 4 patients were BNI I, 1 was BNI II, and 2 was BNI IIIa. Salvage GKS is safe and effective for treating recurrent GPN after MVD, even for patients who experienced pain recurrence following their initial GKS salvage.