The Transformation of the Balloon Shape in Percutaneous Balloon Compression for Trigeminal Neuralgia

BACKGROUND: The pear shape of an inflated balloon is thought to be a gold standard of successful percutaneous balloon compression (PBC). However, neither how nor why it changes in that way (the anatomic basis) has not yet been fully described. AIM: In this article, we try to describe how the balloon in Meckel’s cave (MC) should appear and why; and identify which shapes are good pear shapes, which shapes are not good pear shapes, and which shapes are intermediate. METHODS: Radiographs from over 150 percutaneous balloon compression (PBC) cases were thoroughly evaluated. We proposed a model of changing balloon shape in MC and 70 cases were followed up over two years, in which therapeutic effect was measured. RESULTS: We found that the balloon changed stereotypically in MC. The model that we proposed is consistent with the description of MC’s structures and its’ surroundings in the literature. The distinct pear (pear in MC) brought about a far better surgical result than other shapes (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our study showed how and why the balloon shape changed during PBC surgery. The model provides clear guidance for PBC surgery.