Alcohol Neurolysis for the Treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia is one of the diseases which cause most chronic and intractable pain on the facial area. Several drugs includding analgegics, anticonvulsants, tranquilizers, vitamins or hormonal preparations have been expected to be effective but no drug could effectively relieve the patients from the pain. The pain could be relieved by surgical neurectomy or neurolysis of the Gasserian ganglion or the involved branches with absolute alcohol alternatively. Surgical microvascular decompression may be performed if the pain resulted from compression of the nerve by adjucent arterial loops. 4 cases of trigeminal neuralgia are presented. They were treated with alcohol neurolysis of the involved peripheral nerves combined with or without carbamazepine and/or amitriptyline with favorable result of pain relief.