Turkish Neurosurgery 2019 , Vol 29 , Num 5
Evaluation of the Retrogasserian Opioid Application in the Treatment of Idiopathic Trigeminal Neuralgia
Mustafa Kemal ILIK1,Faik ILIK2
1Farabi Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Konya, Turkey
2KTO Karatay University, Medicana Hospital, Department of Neurology, Konya, Turkey
DOI : 10.5137/1019-5149.JTN.22604-18.2 AIM: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of the retrogasserian opioid application in patients with type 1 trigeminal neuralgia.

MATERIAL and METHODS: A total of 37 patients (12 male, 25 female; average age 56.2 ± 5.4 years) who were administered retrogasserian opioid due to type 1 trigeminal neuralgia between February 2012 and May 2015 were included in the study. A visual analogue scale was used to evaluate pain at the last preoperative and postoperative visits (median follow-up period: 13 months, mean follow-up period: 15.6 months). All parameters were analysed using Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann-Whitney U tests, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant.

RESULTS: Visual analogue scale scores of all 37 patients were significantly improved in the postoperative period. The average visual analogue scale scores were 7.9 ± 0.62 preoperatively and 2.9 ± 0.5 postoperatively. All changes were statistically significant.

CONCLUSION: Percutaneous retrogasserian opioid injection in type 1 trigeminal neuralgia is an effective and safe method of pain control. Keywords : Trigeminal neuralgia, Gasser ganglion, Bupivacaine, Fentanyl

Corresponding author : Mustafa Kemal ILIK, mkilik@gmail.com