Article: Radiosurgery shows promise as primary treatment for trigeminalneuralgia

[John Jacobus <crispy_bird@YAHOO.COM>]

Radiosurgery shows promise as primary treatment for

trigeminal neuralgia

3/3/04

By: Reuters Health



NEW YORK (Reuters Health), Mar 3 - Radiosurgery

delivered by a dedicated linear accelerator (DLINAC)

appears to be a safe and effective treatment for

selected patients with trigeminal neuralgia, according

to a report published in the February 24th issue of

Neurology.

As a treatment for trigeminal neuralgia, radiosurgery

has typically been limited to patients who have failed

conventional surgical therapy, Dr. A. A. De Salles and

colleagues, from the University of California at Los

Angeles, note. Recently, however, radiosurgery has

started to be offered as the primary surgical therapy

for the condition.



In the current study, the researchers assessed the

outcomes of 22 patients with essential trigeminal

neuralgia who were treated with DLINAC radiosurgery.

All of the patients had failed to respond to standard

medical therapy.



The average follow-up period was 21.2 months and

treatment outcomes were assessed by an independent

observer. With the modern DLINAC unit used by the

authors, sedation and hospital admission were not

required. 



Pain relief was rated as excellent for 15 patients,

good for 6, and poor for 1, yielding a total success

rate of 95.4%, the authors note. On average, pain

relief occurred 2.7 months after radiosurgery. Five

patients experienced pain recurrence, but in all cases

the pain was less severe than before treatment. 



The procedure was well tolerated and complications

were limited to mild sensory deficits, the researchers

point out. 



"The results of the present series support the use of

the available radiosurgery techniques as a first

surgical option, independently of the involved

trigeminal territory," the authors state. "Because it

does not manifest its results immediately, patients

with acute severe trigeminal crises are not candidates

for the procedure."



Last Updated: 2004-03-02 15:16:21 -0400 (Reuters

Health)



Neurology 2004;62:660-662. 



© 2004 Reuters Limited.





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"The care of human life and happiness . . . is the first and only legitimate object of good government."

Thomas Jefferson



-- John

John Jacobus, MS

Certified Health Physicist

e-mail:  crispy_bird@yahoo.com



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