RESUMEN
A series of 100 patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia treated by percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation of the trigeminal ganglion is reported. The authors make some considerations about the basic principles of the thermocoagulation and comment a few important methods of treatment used prior to this new technique. The whole sequency of the surgical procedure is described and its results analysed. The final conclusion is that percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation has become the treatment of choice for trigeminal neuralgia when the clinical treatment is not anymore effective or the side-effects of the drugs contraindicate its use.
Asunto(s)
Electrocoagulación/métodos , Neuralgia del Trigémino/cirugía , Adulto , Anciano , Carbamazepina/efectos adversos , Córnea/fisiopatología , Electrocoagulación/instrumentación , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Parestesia/etiología , Fenitoína/efectos adversos , Complicaciones Posoperatorias , Radiografía , Células Receptoras Sensoriales/fisiopatología , Cráneo/diagnóstico por imagen , Nervio Trigémino/cirugía , Neuralgia del Trigémino/tratamiento farmacológicoRESUMEN
The case of a 31 years old woman with multiple intracranial mycotic aneurysms in association with subacute bacterial endocarditis is reported. The authors discuss the clinical and pathological aspects of such lesions. The complete regression of all the aneurysms after antibiotic therapy favours an approach aiming at adequate control of the infection prior to any consideration of surgical treatment.