Gamma Knife Surgery in Trigeminal Neuralgia

Amparo Wolf; Douglas Kondziolka

doi:10.1016/j.nec.2016.02.006

Gamma Knife Surgery in Trigeminal Neuralgia

Neurosurg Clin N Am. 2016 Jul;27(3):297-304. doi: 10.1016/j.nec.2016.02.006.

Authors

Amparo Wolf¹, Douglas Kondziolka²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, NYU Langone Medical Center, 530 First Avenue, Suite 8R, New York, NY 10016, USA.
² Department of Neurosurgery, Center for Advanced Radiosurgery, NYU Langone Medical Center, 530 First Avenue, Suite 8R, New York, NY 10016, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 27324996
DOI: 10.1016/j.nec.2016.02.006

Abstract

Gamma knife surgery (GKS) represents a safe, effective, and relatively durable noninvasive treatment option for patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and recurrent TN. By one year's time, 75% to 90% of patients will have obtained pain relief, defined as Barrow Neurological Institute grades I to IIIB. Similar rates have been demonstrated for patients undergoing a second GKS for recurrent TN. Predictors of durability of GKS in TN include type I TN, post-GKS Barrow Neurological Institute score, and the presence of post-Gamma Knife facial numbness.

Keywords: Facial pain; Gamma knife surgery; Stereotactic radiosurgery; Trigeminal neuralgia.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Humans
Patient Satisfaction
Quality of Life
Radiosurgery / instrumentation*
Treatment Outcome
Trigeminal Neuralgia / surgery*