Percutaneous balloon compression for trigeminal neuralgia: experience and surgical techniques from a single institution

OBJECTIVE: The treatment experience and the technical skill with percutaneous balloon compression (PBC) for treatment of primary trigeminal neuralgia (TN) were summarised in a single institution. METHODS: This is a retrospective review including consecutive patients with typical symptoms of uni-lateral primary TN who underwent PBC from June 2020 to September 2021 in our institution. We excluded secondary aetiologies of TN. Patient demographics, surgical techniques and outcomes were reviewed. All included patients were initially managed with carbamazepine before PBC. RESULTS: A total of 70 patients were included. The mean length of follow-up was 10.6 months. Sixty-nine (98.6%) were successfully treated, and only one patient failed due to particularly narrow foramen ovale. Amongst successfully treated patients, 68 (97.1%) had immediate pain relief, with one having delayed relief. Sixty-eight patients (97.1%) had immediate facial numbness post-operatively and one (1.4%) presented delayed numbness 7 days after surgery. In the last follow-up, regarding facial numbness, 22 (31.9%) patients had complete resolution, whilst 46 (67.6%) had different degrees of benefit. Forty-nine (71.0%) patients developed masseter muscle weakness with recovery at 3-month follow-up. No anaesthesia dolorosa, keratitis, intracranial infection or death occurred in this study. CONCLUSION: PBC for treatment of TN has quick and effective result, and could be safely performed under general anaesthesia without discomfort to the patient. The common postoperative complications are facial numbness and masseter muscle weakness, with most being improved or recovered at follow-up.