Trigeminal neuralgia: treatment by repetitive peripheral neurectomy. Supplemental report.

Peripheral neurectomy affords a conservative method of relieving the pain of trigeminal neuralgia. Although the relief is temporary, the procedure can be repeated when the pain recurs. At Ochsner Clinic, 162 neurectomies were performed on 88 patients between 1956 and 1971. This includes 112 neurectomies performed on 63 patients between 1956 and 1965 from the previous report. This form of treatment is particularly indicated for an aged or severely debilitated patient in whom craniotomy is contraindicated. The total pain-free period obtained from repeated peripheral neurectomies is significant and justifies the use of the procedure. The median pain-free period among the 88 patients was 41 months with a mean of 52.5 months.