Effective Management of Trigeminal Neuralgia by Neurostimulation.

BACKGROUND

Treatment of trigeminal neuralgia can be challenging for many physicians; patients who do not respond to conventional treatments and traditional surgical approaches often continue to suffer with pain. The peripheral nerve stimulator (PNS) has been used to treat many chronic pain conditions, but few reports exist about its use to treat trigeminal neuralgia.

CASE REPORT: We present the case of a patient with trigeminal neuralgia resistant to conventional techniques of pain management. Conservative pain management was attempted but was ineffective. As a result, a PNS was placed with minimally invasive surgery. Pain scores were recorded before and after the procedure, and the patient reported complete resolution of her pain.

CONCLUSION

PNS implantation can be a safe and effective method to treat trigeminal neuralgia. More research is needed to define its mechanism of action.