Percutaneous trigeminal ganglion balloon compression for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia--part I: pressure recordings.

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to establish standards for the pressure monitoring system and to define the pressure pattern during percutaneous trigeminal ganglion compression for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.

METHODS

Seventy-five patients with intractable trigeminal neuralgia who underwent percutaneous trigeminal ganglion balloon compression were included in this study. A computerized pressure system was used for pressure monitoring and analysis.

RESULTS

The procedural pressure patterns of the balloon opening pressure and the initial compression pressure were identified. On average, the balloon opening pressure was 2956 +/- 185 mm Hg in Meckel's cave (area 2) and it was much higher than that outside the foramen ovale (area 1, 2402 +/- 172 mm g), or in the posterior fossa (area 3, 2120 +/- 127 mm Hg) (p < 0.05). The average initial compression pressure in area 2 was 1204 +/- 105 mm Hg, and it was also significantly higher than those in area 1 (728 +/- 42 mm Hg) and area 3 (458 +/- 72 mm Hg) (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The pressure monitoring system has proven to be accurate, reliable, and extremely useful for monitoring the percutaneous trigeminal ganglion balloon compression procedure.