Surgical treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.

Trigeminal neuralgia nearly always can be relieved initially with drug therapy. Long-term relief, however, is achieved in only 25 percent of patients. When medical therapy fails, surgery may be necessary. Percutaneous rhizotomy is an effective technique for pain relief, with few medical contraindications. Posterior fossa exploration and neurovascular decompression or sensory root sectioning is reserved for those patients who do not improve after rhizotomy and for selected younger patients.