Rare Case of Concurrent Glossopharyngeal and Trigeminal Neuralgia, in Which Glossopharyngeal Neuralgia was Possibly Induced by Postoperative Changes Following Microvascular Decompression for Trigeminal Neuralgia.

BACKGROUND: Glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN) and trigeminal neuralgia (TN) can result from mechanical stimulation of the glossopharyngeal nerve (GPNv) and trigeminal nerve (TNv) by blood vessels. TN can cause severe pain in the orofacial region, whereas GPN manifests as pain in the tongue, throat, tonsil, and ear. Although these 2 neuralgias can occur concurrently, concurrence of recurrent TN and GPN that develops postoperatively has not been previously described.

CASE DESCRIPTION: A 68-year-old male complained of right glossalgia and pain in the pharynx radiating to the right auricular area. The patient had previously undergone microvascular decompression (MVD) for right TN. Medication and intraoral xylocaine spray did not relieve the symptoms. An oral surgeon was unable to find any disease related to the glossalgia. The anesthesiologist pointed out that the symptoms could be from partial recurrence of the TN because the patient also complained of pain in the inferior alveolus. Magnetic resonance angiography indicated that the right GPNv seemed to be compressed by the right posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA); hence, MVD for both GPN and TN was performed. Intraoperatively, the right PICA was found to be adherent to the GPNv because of the thickened arachnoid membrane and was subsequently detached. The TNv was also examined, but only a Teflon ball was found, which was detached from the TNv. The GPN disappeared postoperatively, although TN persisted after the second operation.

CONCLUSIONS: GPN can result from adhesions between the GPNv and arachnoid membrane following previous MVD.