[Trigeminal neuralgia - pathophysiology, clinical aspects and treatment].

The trigeminal neuralgia is characterised by paroxysmal appearing fulgurous stabbing pain. Its medical condition is caused through a local-circumscribed demyelinisation of the trigeminal nerve with consecutive conduction of salting impulses on afferent pain fibres. It is essential to differentiate the symptomatic from the idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia. As primary management, a pharmacological treatment with anticonvulsants is recommended in order to attenuate the ectopic-generated pain impulses. Different neurosurgical procedures are available in cases of resistance to therapy. Thereby, causal surgery in form of microvascular decompression is not only the operative treatment of choice, but because of the excellent results also a fundamental support of the theory of vascular compression. A comprehensive knowledge about diagnosis and management of trigeminal neuralgia is essential to treat patients efficiently and successfully. This synopsis summarises the current recommendations concerning diagnostics and therapeutic options.