Branches of the trigeminal nerve
Surgery
The goal of a number of surgical procedures is to either damage or destroy the part of the trigeminal nerve that's the source of your pain. Because the success of these procedures depends on damaging the nerve, facial numbness of varying degree is a common side effect. These procedures involve:
· Alcohol injection. Alcohol injections under the skin of your face, where the branches of the trigeminal nerve leave the bones of your face, may offer temporary pain relief by numbing the areas for weeks or months. Because the pain relief isn't permanent, you may need repeated injections or a different procedure.
· Glycerol injection. This procedure is called percutaneous glycerol rhizotomy (PGR). "Percutaneous" means through the skin. Your doctor inserts a needle through your face and into an opening in the base of your skull. The needle is guided into the trigeminal cistern, a small sac of spinal fluid that surrounds the trigeminal nerve ganglion (the area where the trigeminal nerve divides into three branches) and part of its root. Images are made to confirm that the needle is in the proper location. After confirming the location, your doctor injects a small amount of sterile glycerol. After three or four hours, the glycerol damages the trigeminal nerve and blocks pain signals. Initially, PGR relieves pain in most people. However, some people have a recurrence of pain, and many experience facial numbness or tingling.
· Balloon compression. In a procedure called percutaneous balloon compression of the trigeminal nerve (PBCTN), your doctor inserts a hollow needle through your face and into an opening in the base of your skull. Then, a thin, flexible tube (catheter) with a balloon on the end is threaded through the needle. The balloon is inflated with enough pressure to damage the nerve and block pain signals. PBCTN successfully controls pain in most people, at least for a while. Most people undergoing PBCTN experience facial numbness of varying degrees, and more than half experience nerve damage resulting in a temporary or permanent weakness of the muscles used to chew.
· Electric current. A procedure called percutaneous stereotactic radiofrequency thermal rhizotomy (PSRTR) selectively destroys nerve fibers associated with pain. Your doctor threads a needle through your face and into an opening in your skull. Once in place, an electrode is threaded through the needle until it rests against the nerve root.
An electric current is passed through the tip of the electrode until it's heated to the desired temperature. The heated tip damages the nerve fibers and creates an area of injury (lesion). If your pain isn't eliminated, your doctor may create additional lesions.
PSRTR successfully controls pain in most people. Facial numbness is a common side effect of this type of treatment. The pain may return after a few years.
· Microvascular decompression (MVD). A procedure called microvascular decompression (MVD) doesn't damage or destroy part of the trigeminal nerve. Instead, MVD involves relocating or removing blood vessels that are in contact with the trigeminal root and separating the nerve root and blood vessels with a small pad. During MVD, your doctor makes an incision behind one ear. Then, through a small hole in your skull, part of your brain is lifted to expose the trigeminal nerve. If your doctor finds an artery in contact with the nerve root, he or she directs it away from the nerve and places a pad between the nerve and the artery. Doctors usually remove a vein that is found to be compressing the trigeminal nerve.
MVD can successfully eliminate or reduce pain most of the time, but as with all other surgical procedures for trigeminal neuralgia, pain can recur in some people. While MVD has a high success rate, it also carries risks. There are small chances of decreased hearing, facial weakness, facial numbness, double vision, and even a stroke or death. The risk of facial numbness is less with MVD than with procedures that involve damaging the trigeminal nerve.
· Severing the nerve. A procedure called partial sensory rhizotomy (PSR) involves cutting part of the trigeminal nerve at the base of your brain. Through an incision behind your ear, your doctor makes a quarter-sized hole in your skull to access the nerve. This procedure usually is helpful, but almost always causes facial numbness. And it's possible for pain to recur. If your doctor doesn't find an artery or vein in contact with the trigeminal nerve, he or she won't be able to perform an MVD, and a PSR may be done instead.
· Radiation. Gamma-knife radiosurgery (GKR) involves delivering a focused, high dose of radiation to the root of the trigeminal nerve. The radiation damages the trigeminal nerve and reduces or eliminates the pain. Relief isn't immediate and can take several weeks to begin. GKR is successful in eliminating pain more than half of the time. Sometimes the pain may recur. The procedure is painless and typically is done without anesthesia. Because this procedure is relatively new, the long-term risks of this type of radiation are not yet known.
Coping skills
Living with trigeminal neuralgia can be difficult. The disorder may affect your interaction with friends and family, your productivity at work, and the overall quality of your life.
You may find that talking to a counselor or therapist can help you cope with the effects of trigeminal neuralgia, or you may find encouragement and understanding in a support group. Although support groups aren't for everyone, they can be good sources of information. Group members often know about the latest treatments and tend to share their own experiences. If you're interested, your doctor may be able to recommend a group in your area.