[Microcompression of Gasser's ganglion. A treatment of essential facial neuralgia. Apropos of 70 cases].

Percutaneous micro-compression of the trigeminal ganglion for trigeminal neuralgia, using the technique of Mullan and Lichtor (1983), with some modifications, was performed during the last five years, in our institution in 70 patients. 97.5% of the patients were initially relieved of their pain. There were 14 recurrences (20.5%). 9 of these patients underwent a second micro-compression with 8 excellent results. The follow up examination 6 to 60 months (average: 16.5 months) showed that 88.5% of the patients were free of pain (54 times after one micro-compression and 8 times after two). Sequellae are: --hypoesthesia: 14.3%, --loss of the corneal reflex without keratitis: 11.4%, --dysesthesias without anesthesia dolorosa: 11.4%. We think that this technique should be the first operation considered for trigeminal neuralgia, in the aged and poor cooperative patients, especially when V1 or V1-V2 pain is present, for symptomatic neuralgia (especially multiple sclerosis), or after recurrences after other procedures.