Trigeminal Neuropathy Research Articles

Predictors of trigeminal neuropathy in patients receiving Gamma Knife stereotactic radiosurgery for vestibular schwannoma.

The authors' objective was to validate dosimetric and clinical predictors of the development of trigeminal neuropathy (Tn) in patients treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for a diagnosis of vestibular schwannoma (VS). In total, 301 patients were treated with SRS for VS at the authors' center between April 2013 and June 2020, with a median prescription dose of 12.5 Gy. Ninety-seven patients were excluded: 78 had pre-existing symptoms of Tn, and 19 had < 2 years of follow-up. At follow-up consultations, trigeminal nerve function was prospectively documented in an institutional database. The median follow-up was 4 years. Data from treatment plans were extracted for factors previously reported as predictors of Tn: volume of cranial nerve (CN) V that received at least 11 Gy, maximum dose to CN V, volume of the cisternal portion of CN V, maximum dose to the brainstem, volume of the brainstem that received at least 12 Gy, and tumor volume. Tumor compression of CN V at baseline was also evaluated. Univariate and multivariate analyses of results were performed to identify significant factors. In total, 23 (11.3%) patients developed symptoms of Tn after SRS; these symptoms were transitory in 7 (30%) cases. Of the 16 patients with permanent Tn, 13 had objective paresthesia (9 had grade II and 4 grade III) and 5 had pain (2 grade II and 3 grade III); included in this are 2 patients who had both paresthesia and pain. In addition, 44% developed symptoms by 1 year after SRS and 100% by 3 years after SRS. On univariate analysis of patients with permanent symptoms, maximum dose to CN V (p = 0.016) was a significant factor. This was not maintained on multivariate analysis when the volume of CN V that received ≥ 11 Gy became the only significant factor (p = 0.029). The only significant factor in the risk of development of Tn after SRS for VS was the volume of CN V that received ≥ 11 Gy. This should be routinely incorporated into dosimetric planning constraints and patients should be counseled about the risk of adverse effects if it cannot be met. For those with growing VS and a gap to the trigeminal nerve, it may be prudent to provide earlier treatment with SRS to enable application of this dosimetric constraint and reduced risk of Tn.

ID: 330248 High Cervical Spinal Cord Stimulation for the Treatment of Chronic Postoperative Painful Trigeminal Neuropathy

ID: 330248 High Cervical Spinal Cord Stimulation for the Treatment of Chronic Postoperative Painful Trigeminal Neuropathy

Risk factors of postoperative trigeminal neuropathy in surgical treatment of trigeminal schwannomas.

Trigeminal schwannomas are rare benign tumors originating from the Schwann cells of the trigeminal nerve. Despite the common occurrence of trigeminal neuropathy in trigeminal schwannomas, a detailed analysis has not yet been performed because of the rarity of this disease. This study aimed to analyze trigeminal neuropathy in trigeminal schwannoma resection and identify the risk factors for postoperative worsening of trigeminal neuropathy. A retrospective analysis of 86 surgical cases was performed at our institution between 1975 and 2018. Obtained parameters included age, sex, diagnosis, reoperation, tumor size, tumor location, presence or absence of cysts, surgical approach, degree of tumor removal, and pre/postoperative trigeminal neuropathy. Uni- and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for worsening postoperative sensory disturbances. Of 83 patients, 58.1% had preoperative trigeminal neuropathy. Postoperative sensory disturbance occurred in 27.9%, with worsening in two cases and de novo symptoms in 22 cases. Regarding risk factors for worsening postoperative sensory disturbances, older age, smaller tumor size, middle and posterior (MP) type, gross total removal (GTR), and anterior transpetrosal approach were identified in the univariate analysis, while MP type and GTR were identified in the multivariate analysis. This study analyzed trigeminal neuropathy in trigeminal schwannomas in detail and identified tumor location and removal rate as risk factors for worsening postoperative sensory disturbances. Treatment strategies to reduce the risk of trigeminal neuropathy should be considered.

Nonodontogenic Causes of Toothache: A Case Series and Narrative Review

Abstract Chronic orofacial pain is a complex and frequently misdiagnosed condition that significantly impacts individuals’ well-being. Accurately diagnosing orofacial pain can be challenging due to the overlap between headaches and orofacial regions. Patients who complain of tooth pain may actually be experiencing pain unrelated to dental issues. It is crucial for clinicians to accurately pinpoint the source and location of the pain to devise effective treatment plans. Nonodontogenic facial pain can stem from various causes such as musculoskeletal, neuropathic, or neurovascular issues. In addition, toothaches can result from conditions originating from other areas like systemic disorders related to the heart, nose, throat, or sinuses. Referred pain phenomena are acknowledged in the literature but are poorly understood, presenting significant treatment challenges. This is worrisome because such patients are more prone to developing chronic pain conditions, and invasive treatments may exacerbate their suffering and overall health. In the current review paper, three cases are detailed: one of myofascial pain, the second of trigeminal neuralgia, and the third of posttraumatic trigeminal neuropathy. In all three cases, dentists were the initial point of consultation as the pain was perceived in the teeth, resulting in unnecessary dental interventions. There remains a lack of knowledge regarding nonodontogenic toothache among clinicians. Increasing awareness of nonodontogenic toothache can help avoid unnecessary interventions and improve overall pain relief for patients.

Neurosarcoidosis of the trigeminal nerve: clinical accompaniments, radiographic findings, and association with neuralgia.

Cranial neuropathy is a principal disease manifestation of neurosarcoidosis, but many forms remain poorly described, including trigeminal nerve disease despite its frequency in reported cohorts (5-12%). Herein, we characterize the clinical course of patients with neurosarcoidosis involving the trigeminal nerve. A single-center retrospective cohort analysis of patients with biopsy-proven sarcoidosis involving the trigeminal nerve was conducted between 1/1/2000-3/7/2023. The trigeminal nerve was affected in 14/245 (5.7%) patients, being clinically symptomatic in 5/245 (2.0%) and asymptomatic with radiographic involvement in 9/245 (3.7%). 14/14 (100.0%) patients had systemic sarcoidosis. In the symptomatic group, trigeminal neuropathy was an inaugural feature in 4/5 (80.0%), unilateral in 5/5 (100.0%) with the V1 subdivision most affected (4/5, 80.0%), and associated with neuralgia in 2/5 (40.0%). On MRI, the cisternal nerve roots (9/14, 64.3%), Meckel's cave (7/14, 50.0%), and cavernous sinus (5/14, 35.7%) were most commonly affected, and 14/14 (100.0%) patients had extra-trigeminal neuroinflammation on cranial MRI. CSF was abnormal in at least one dimension in 11/12 (91.7%) tested. All three treated patients with symptomatic trigeminal neuropathy responded to immunomodulatory treatment, and symptomatic treatments for trigeminal neuralgia were helpful in two patients. After a median follow-up period of 63 months, the median modified Rankin scale score was 1 for both subgroups. Neurosarcoidosis may involve any portion of the trigeminal apparatus, and when affected, it frequently demonstrates a mismatch in radiographic involvement from its clinical manifestations of facial numbness and pain, and typically occurs in association with other clinical or radiographic manifestations of neurosarcoidosis.

Surgical and radiosurgical outcomes for Koos grade 3 vestibular schwannomas.

This study aimed to reveal the preferred initial treatment for Koos grade 3 vestibular schwannomas (VS). We performed a two-institutional retrospective study on 21 patients with Koos grade 3 VS undergoing resection at Yokohama Medical Center and 37 patients undergoing radiosurgery at Yokohama Rosai Hospital from 2010 to 2021. Tumor control, complications, and functional preservation were compared. The median pre-treatment volume and follow-up duration were 2845 mm3 and 57.0 months, respectively, in the resection group and 2127 mm3 and 81.7 months, respectively, in the radiosurgery group. In the resection group, 16 (76.2%) underwent gross total resection, and three patients (14.3%) experienced regrowth; however, no one required additional treatment. In the radiosurgery group, the tumor control rate was 86.5%, and three cases (8.1%) required surgical resection because of symptomatic brainstem compression. Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed that tumors with delayed continuous enlargement and large thin-walled cysts were significantly associated with poor prognostic factors (p = 0.0027, p < 0.001). The pre-radiosurgery growth rate was also associated with the volume increase (p = 0.013). Two cases (9.5%) required additional operation due to complications such as post-operative hematoma and cerebrospinal fluid leaks in the resection group, whereas temporary cranial neuropathies were observed in the radiosurgery group. Two patients (9.5%) had poor facial nerve function (House-Brackmann grading grade 3) in the resection group, while no one developed facial paresis in the radiosurgery group. Trigeminal neuropathy improved only in the resection group.Radiosurgery can be considered for the treatment of Koos grade 3 VS for functional preservation. However, resection may also be considered for patients with severe trigeminal neuropathy or a high risk of volume increments, such as large thin-walled cysts and rapid pre-treatment growth.

Repeat stereotactic radiosurgery for progressive vestibular schwannomas after primary gamma knife radiosurgery

PurposeLimited data provides guidance on the management of vestibular schwannomas (VSs) that have progressed despite primary Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS). The present article reports our long-term experience after repeat GKRS for VS with sustained progression after solely primary GKRS management.MethodsA retrospective review of 1997 patients managed between 1987 and 2023 was conducted. Eighteen patients had sustained tumor progression after primary GKRS and underwent repeat GKRS. The median repeat GKRS margin dose was 11 Gy (IQR: 11–12), the median tumor volume was 2.0 cc (IQR: 1.3–6.3), and the median cochlear dose in patients with preserved hearing was 3.9 Gy (IQR: 3-4.1). The median time between initial and repeat GKRS was 65 months (IQR: 38–118).ResultsThe median follow-up was 70 months (IQR: 23–101). After repeat GKRS, two patients had further tumor progression at 4 and 21 months and required partial resection of their tumors. The 10-year actuarial tumor control rate after repeat GKRS was 88%. Facial nerve function was preserved in 13 patients who had House-Brackmann grade 1 or 2 function at the time of repeat GKRS. Two patients with serviceable hearing preservation (Gardner-Robertson grade 1 or 2) at repeat GKRS retained that function afterwards. In patients with tinnitus, vestibular dysfunction, and trigeminal neuropathy, symptoms remained stable or improved for 16/16 patients, 12/15 patients, and 10/12 patients, respectively. One patient developed facial twitching in the absence of tumor growth 21 months after repeat GKRS.ConclusionsRepeat GKRS effectively controlled tumor growth and preserved cranial nerve outcomes in most patients whose VS had sustained progression after initial primary radiosurgery.

Surgical Options for Treatment of Medically Intractable Neuropathic Facial Pain: An Outcome Assessment Study

Abstract Background Facial pain is a common condition with a worldwide prevalence of 10-25% in adults. It often us a serious condition that can have a significant impact on patients’ daily life activities. The three main categories of facial pain are trigeminal neuralgia, trigeminal neuropathic pain and persistent idiopathic facial pain. To date, trigeminal neuropathy remains a potentially surgical pathology for the purpose of pain control with poor response to medical treatment. Aim and Objectives The aim of this study is to present our experience in the management of different pathologies of trigeminal neuropathy and to review the effectiveness and long-term efficacy of the different surgical procedures. Subjects and Methods This is a mixed prospective-retrospective study conducted at Ain Shams University (ASU) hospital and Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) during the period from December 2012 till July 2020 for the retrospective part and from January 2019 till September 2021 for the prospective part. Patients with neuropathic facial pain treated during this time frame were included in the study. Result 28 patients were included in this study. They underwent 40 surgical interventions for the management of different categories of trigeminal neuropathy. Neuro-modulatory procedures were performed in 9 patients (3 ucSCS and 6 PNS) while neuro-ablative procedures were performed in 19 patients. Median time to pain recurrence after SCS device implantation for the neuropathic trigeminal neuralgia was 19.5 months. For the patients treated with PNS, 2 out of 6 of patients had satisfactory pain relief, whereas half of the patients had no improvement. Overall median time to pain recurrence after CT guided T/N was 5.6 months. In the cohort of patients treated with caudalis DREZ, 4 patients out of 6 had grade I pain relief at last follow up and the overall median time to pain recurrence was 3.9 months. Conclusion Trigeminal neuropathy is a difficult to treat entity of facial pain syndromes. Although many neuro- modulatory and neuro-ablative interventions are available in the armamentarium for the treatment of such pathology, outcomes remain suboptimal. Pain relief in the immediate postoperative period is usually higher than at last follow up which is a common finding in after these interventions. The long-term efficacy of most available interventions does not meet patients’ satisfaction.

Altered Corticobrainstem Connectivity during Spontaneous Fluctuations in Pain Intensity in Painful Trigeminal Neuropathy.

Chronic neuropathic pain can result from nervous system injury and can persist in the absence of external stimuli. Although ongoing pain characterizes the disorder, in many individuals, the intensity of this ongoing pain fluctuates dramatically. Previously, it was identified that functional magnetic resonance imaging signal covariations between the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG) matter, rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM), and spinal trigeminal nucleus are associated with moment-to-moment fluctuations in pain intensity in individuals with painful trigeminal neuropathy (PTN). Since this brainstem circuit is modulated by higher brain input, we sought to determine which cortical sites might be influencing this brainstem network during spontaneous fluctuations in pain intensity. Over 12 min, we recorded the ongoing pain intensity in 24 PTN participants and classified them as fluctuating (n = 13) or stable (n = 11). Using a PAG seed, we identified connections between the PAG and emotional-affective sites such as the hippocampal and posterior cingulate cortices, the sensory-discriminative posterior insula, and cognitive-affective sites such as the dorsolateral prefrontal (dlPFC) and subgenual anterior cingulate cortices that were altered dependent on spontaneous high and low pain intensity. Additionally, sliding-window functional connectivity analysis revealed that the dlPFC-PAG connection anticorrelated with perceived pain intensity over the entire 12 min period. These findings reveal cortical systems underlying moment-to-moment changes in perceived pain in PTN, which likely cause dysregulation in the brainstem circuits previously identified, and consequently alter the appraisal of pain across time.

Trigeminal neuropathies following dental anesthetic blocks: a review of the literature

Trigeminal neuropathies following dental anesthetic blocks: a review of the literature

Idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis: Features of 9 patients and a literature review

Introduction: Idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis (IHP) is a rare disorder presenting with headache, cranial and spinal neuropathy. This study is to explore the clinical, laboratory and imaging changes; treatment; and clinical outcomes of idiopathic hypertrophic pachymeningitis (IHP). Methods: This was a retrospective evaluation of 9 patients (5 men and 4 women; mean age: 53.6 years), their clinical features, laboratory tests, cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) analysis, MRI results, pathological features, treatment and clinical outcomes from a tertiary centre in Qingdao, North East China. The serum IgG4 was negative for all the cases. Results: Headache was the most common symptom (7/9), followed by oculomotor, trigeminal, abducens and facial nerve neuropathies, and limb numbness in one case. Two cases showed increased ESR and CRP, and four were positive for ANA or anti-SSA antibodies. On CSF analysis, 2/7 had increased pressure, and 4/7 showed lymphocytosis and high protein levels. MRI revealed a thickening and enhancement of the dura, mainly involving bilateral tentorium (85%), falx cerebri (57%), and cerebellar hemisphere (57%). The tissue biopsy of dura mater in three cases showed thickened collagen fibers, lymphocytosis and focal necrosis, with similar but not identical features to IgG4-related sclerosing disease. Most patients were treated with corticosteroids, and 79% showed improvement. The abnormal thickness and enhancement of the dura mater disappeared in one case. Conclusion: Gadolinium-enhanced MRI serves as the key preliminary investigation for the diagnosis and evaluation of the clinical course for IHP. Majority of patients have good respond to steroid.

Facial and trigeminal nerves neuropathy induced by atmospheric pressure changes: A meta-analysis

BackgroundBarometric pressure changes during flight or diving may cause facial barotrauma. Neuropathy of the fifth (CN5) or the seventh (CN7) cranial nerves is a rare manifestation of this condition. The aim of this study was to analyze risk factors for baroneuropathies of CN5 and CN7. MethodsA search of PubMed and Cochrane Library databases was conducted to identify all published cases of CN5 and CN7 neuropathies. Only original case reports and series that documented events of neuropathies associated with the trigeminal nerve or facial nerve while flying, diving, or mountain climbing were included. Assessed variables included sex, medical history, age, setting (flight or diving), atmospheric pressure changes, number of episodes, symptoms, treatment, and recovery. ResultsWe identified a total of 48 articles described >125 episodes in 67 patients. Mean age was 33.5 ± 12.1 years with a male predominance (76.1 %). Cases were equally distributed between flight and diving (50.7 %, 46.3 %, respectively). CN5 involvement was observed in 77.6 % of patients, with ear pain and facial numbness as the most common symptoms. The latter was correlated with positive otolaryngology medical history. CN7 was involved in 88.1 % of patients. Flying, as opposed to diving was correlated with spontaneous resolution of symptoms (86.7 % vs. 42.3 % of cases resolved spontaneously, respectively, p = 0.001). ConclusionsFlight is an equal risk factor to diving with respect to CN5 and CN7 barotrauma. Involvement of CN7 was observed in most cases, but possibly due to report-bias. Positive medical history is a risk factor for facial numbness.

Gasserian ganglion stimulation for refractory trigeminal neuropathic pain

Background and objectivePainful trigeminal neuropathy is a complex clinical entity due to its severity and refractoriness to pharmacological and interventional management. We describe our experience in treating refractory painful trigeminal neuropathy (RPTN) with gasserian ganglion stimulation (GGS). Materials and methodsSix patients with RPTN were treated with GGS in our Unit between 2019 and 2022. The following data were collected: socio-demographic characteristics, triggering event, duration of the disease and treatment received prior to surgery, pre- and post-intervention visual analogue scale (VAS) score, follow-up time, and pre- and post-intervention functionality and quality of life. ResultsAll patients were women who had received aggressive first-, second-, and third-line pharmacological, non-pharmacological, and interventional management before being referred for GGS. Patients reported a 50%–72% decrease in pain on VAS and improved functionality during follow-up. ConclusionsGGS is a promising therapeutic alternative for patients with RPTN. Although the initial outcomes and experience are encouraging, RPTN is recommended on the basis of safety, reproducibility, and trends observed in clinical practice.

357 Postoperative Outcomes and Decreases in Pain Medication Utilization Following Nucleus Caudalis DREZ Lesioning for Painful Trigeminal Neuropathy: A Case Series

INTRODUCTION: Painful trigeminal neuropathy is characterized by treatment-resistant trigeminal pain. Nucleus Caudalis Dorsal Root Entry Zone lesioning (NC-DREZ) has been utilized to treat this condition, but changes in medication utilization has not been studied in this population. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients who underwent NC-DREZ at an academic medical center for the treatment of painful trigeminal neuropathy between March 2014 and December 2022, with a minimum 30-day follow-up. Postoperative complications, emergency department visits, readmissions, reoperations, changes in patients' subjective pain, and the longitudinal dosage of pain medications were collected as outcomes. The Fisher's exact and Kruskal-Wallis tests, with alpha set at 0.05, were used to compare the proportion and doses of medications used at each timepoint. RESULTS: Thirty-nine patients were included (mean age 55.7 years, 66.7% female) Prior interventions included trigeminal ablation (35.9%), microvascular decompression (59.0%), and stereotactic radiosurgery (41.0%).Twelve patients (30.8%) had postoperative complications, including five with transient ataxia and two with pseudomeningocele. Nine patients (23.1%) visited the ED after surgery, and 7 (17.9%) were readmitted. The rate of opioid use decreased from 56.4% at baseline to 32.3% six months following surgery (p = 0.03). Additionally, the use of carbamazepine, gabapentin, pregabalin, duloxetine, and amitriptyline decreased. One year after surgery, 11/26 patients (42.3%) reported sustained pain relief. CONCLUSIONS: In this case series of NC-DREZ patients, we demonstrated that postoperative complications and subjective pain outcomes were comparable to those previously reported in the literature. Importantly, we demonstrated a reduction in the use of opioids six months after surgery. This study's findings support the use of NC-DREZ as an alternative treatment for painful trigeminal neuropathy. Large scale prospective studies are needed to confirm these results.

Surgical Management of an Elderly Patient with Mental Nerve Hyperesthesia: A Case Report

Prolonged use of removable dentures and age-related bone remodeling can result in atrophy of the alveolar crest and lead to functional impairments and complications such as inflammation and hypersensitivity. The effectiveness of nerve transposition surgery and implant rehabilitation in reducing these complaints in atrophic mandibles is remarkable. This case study involves a 63-year old female patient who developed trigeminal nerve neuropathy, starting after use of removable dentures, with the complaint of pain around the right foramen mentale. Advanced resorption in the posterior alveolar crests of the mandible was identified through radiological examinations. After two months, there was a significant improvement in symptoms and post-operative hypoesthesia was achieved by the agency of implant rehabilitation and the inferior transposition of the right mental nerve. This case emphasizes the importance of nerve transposition surgery in severe atrophic crests, superiorly located mental foramina or hyperesthesia induced by removable prostheses.

TREATMENT OF YATROGENIC POST-TRAUMATIC NEUROPATHY ASSOCIATED WITH ENDODONTIC THERAPY USING 3D TECHNOLOGIES

Post-traumatic neuropathy is one of the complications of endodontic treatment, represents a serious problem, manifested by sensory disturbances and has a significant negative impact on the quality of life of patients. Mechanical pressure on the filler causes swelling and hematoma and, due to the chemical action of the substance, neurotoxicity. The decision to treat a patient with trigeminal neuropathy requires complex treatment. Early surgical removal of excess endodontic material resulting from endodontic treatment provides the best prognosis for recovery. With the development of modern digital technologies, advances have been made in the endodontic treatment process. The presented clinical case describes original method for the treatment of endodontic inferior alveolar nerve injuries associated with endodontic therapy using surgical template obtained by three-dimensional software modeling. Using computed tomography software, a template was developed for drilling the bone in the projection of the localization of the material. The surgical template is printed with a 3D printer, after installation in the oral cavity, osteotomies are made under X-ray and excess material is removed, after which the patient is prescribed complex treatment. Results: After 2 weeks, the patient&amp;#39;s complaints disappeared. Sensory impairments were restored and had a positive impact on the patient’s quality of life. A control X-ray examination revealed regeneration of young bone tissue at the osteotomy site. Conclusion: The introduction of digital planning software and the use of 3D printed surgical guides in endodontic microsurgery have significantly improved treatment planning as well as operative and psychological comfort for patients.

Post-Traumatic Trigeminal Neuropathy: Neurobiology and Pathophysiology.

Painful traumatic trigeminal neuropathy (PTTN) is a chronic neuropathic pain that may develop following injury to the trigeminal nerve. Etiologies include cranio-orofacial trauma that may result from dental, surgical, or anesthetic procedures or physical trauma, such as a motor vehicle accident. Following nerve injury, there are various mechanisms, including peripheral and central, as well as phenotypic changes and genetic predispositions that may contribute to the development of neuropathic pain. In this article, we review current literature pertaining to the cellular processes that occur following traumatic damage to the trigeminal nerve, also called cranial nerve V, that results in chronic neuropathic pain. We examine the neurobiology and pathophysiology based mostly on pre-clinical animal models of neuropathic/trigeminal pain.

Estimulación del ganglio de Gasser para dolor neuropático del trigémino refractario

Background and objectivePainful trigeminal neuropathy is a complex clinical entity due to its severity and refractoriness to pharmacological and interventional management. We describe our experience in treating refractory painful trigeminal neuropathy (RPTN) with Gasserian ganglion stimulation (GGS). Materials and methodsSix patients with RPTN were treated with GGS in our unit between 2019 and 2022. The following data were collected: socio-demographic characteristics, triggering event, duration of the disease and treatment received prior to surgery, pre- and post-intervention visual analogue scale score, follow-up time, and pre- and post-intervention functionality and quality of life. ResultsAll patients were women who had received aggressive first-, second-, and third-line pharmacological, non-pharmacological, and interventional management before being referred for GGS. Patients reported a 50-72% decrease in pain on visual analogue scale and improved functionality during follow-up. ConclusionsGGS is a promising therapeutic alternative for patients with RPTN. Although the initial outcomes and experience are encouraging, RPTN is recommended on the basis of safety, reproducibility, and trends observed in clinical practice.

Sensory-Predominant Trigeminal Neuropathy Secondary to a Cosmetic Liquid Nitrogen Procedure.

Sensory-Predominant Trigeminal Neuropathy Secondary to a Cosmetic Liquid Nitrogen Procedure.

Utility of MR Neurography for the Evaluation of Peripheral Trigeminal Neuropathies in the Postoperative Period.

Peripheral trigeminal neuropathies are assessed by MR neurography for presurgical mapping. In this clinical report, we aimed to understand the utility of MR neurography following nerve-repair procedures. We hypothesized that postoperative MR neurography assists in determining nerve integrity, and worsening MR neurography findings will corroborate poor patient outcomes. Ten patients with peripheral trigeminal neuropathy were retrospectively identified after nerve-repair procedures, with postsurgical MR neurography performed from July 2015 to September 2023. Postsurgical MR neurography findings were graded as per postintervention category and subcategories of the Neuropathy Score Reporting and Data System (NS-RADS). Descriptive statistics of demographics, inciting injury, injury severity, NS-RADS scoring, and clinical outcomes were obtained. There were 6 women and 4 men (age range, 25-73 years). Most injuries resulted from third molar removals (8/10), with an average time from the inciting event to nerve-repair surgery of 6.1 (SD, 4.6) months. In Neuropathy Score Reporting and Data System-Injury (NS-RADS I), NS-RADS I-4 injuries (neuroma in continuity) were found in 8/10 patients, and NS-RADS I-5 injuries were found in the remaining patients, all confirmed at surgery. Surgeries performed included microdissection with neurolysis, neuroma excision, and nerve allograft with Axoguard protection. Three patients with expected postsurgical MR neurography findings experienced either partial improvement or complete symptom resolution, while among 7 patient with persistent or recurrent neuropathy on postsurgical MR neurography, one demonstrated partial improvement of sensation, pain, and taste and one experienced only pain improvement; the remaining 5 patients demonstrated no improvement. Postsurgical MR neurography consistently coincided with clinical outcomes related to pain, sensation, and lip biting and speech challenges. Lip biting and speech challenges were most amenable to recovery, even with evidence of persistent nerve pathology on postsurgical MR neurography.