Year : 2015

Volume : Volume 5

Issue : Issue 2

Address for correspondence :
Dr. Yashavanth Rao A
raoyash@gmail.com

Abstract

Background:  The head and neck region is a common site for neuralgias. Because facial neuralgias produce pain that often mimics pain of dental origin, the dental profession is frequently called on to rule out odontogenic or inflammatory causes. Trigeminal neuralgia [TN] causes sudden, usually unilateral, severe brief lancinating type of recurrent pain in the region of distribution of one or more branches of the trigeminal nerve. Patients with TN are usually treated medically. Surgical approaches are performed when medication cannot control pain or patients cannot tolerate the adverse effects of the medication. The failure of medical treatment led to the development of various surgical techniques that include peripheral injections of various agents having neurolytic properties, peripheral neurectomy, cryotherapy, microvascular decompression and radiofrequency thermocoagulation.

Keywords: Trigeminal neuralgia, Peripheral neurectomy.