Gasserian ganglion injected with Adriamycin successfully relieves intractable trigeminal nerve postherpetic neuralgia for an elderly patient: A case report

RATIONALE: Effective treatments for trigeminal nerve postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) are limited. Adriamycin (doxorubicin) has been applied to the treatment of neuropathic pain. This study reports a new treatment: Adriamycin injected to Gasserian ganglion for an elderly patient with the intractable trigeminal nerve PHN. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 75-year-old man complained of lancing, burning pain in the right mandibular branch of the trigeminal nerve (V3) for 3 months after rash eruption. DIAGNOSES: Trigeminal nerve PHN. INTERVENTIONS: Approximately 0.5 mL of 0.25% Adriamycin and 20 mg methylprednisolone injected to Gasserian ganglion through the foramen ovale with computer tomography guidance. OUTCOMES: The visual analog scale was 10 of 100 throughout the 1-month follow-up, and oxcarbazepine had also been tapered. The patient remained free of pain at the 12-month follow-up. LESSONS: The treatment of Adriamycin injection to Gasserian ganglion is effective and safe, and may be considered as an alternative treatment for trigeminal nerve PHN. However, more research is needed to verify the validity.