[Problems of trigeminal neuralgia].

The results of 20 years of investigation in the light of current literature data are indicative of the trigeminal neuralgia being a separate disease with its specific etiology and pathogenesis. In 93 to 97% of the patients compression of a trigeminal branch or radicle were primary causes of the disease. This provided a basis for the secondary allogenic system of paroxysmal type which explains the high efficacy of a number of antiepileptic drugs. With a lack of a steady effect of a conservative treatment, a surgical decompression of the trigeminal branch or radicle is a method of choice.