Anyone had experience with Dorsal Root Entry Zone procedure? any info would be nice. good? bad? ugly?
Ally,
No. Can you explain that procedure?
Liz
I don’t know much. I know there is damage done to some part of a nerve. I just wanted to know if anyone had it done. Thanks.
the dorsal root entry zone is a procedure which is not to be taken lightly. it is a very complex procedure involving a cervical laminectomy and penetration into the spinal cord. this procedure is reserved for very troubling facial pain cases, when nothing else has helped, and nothing more can simply be done.
the procedure is also known as a trigeminal tractotomy. the nerves course into the brainstem and make their way up the stem into the midbrain. the surgeon opens the spinal cord and accesses this tract, uses a heated electrode and selectively damages this part of the nerve, along with the trigeminal nucleus, to disable the pain signals in the face. numbness is avoided, assuming the surgeon is skilled, because only the pain tract is being destroyed.
this procedure is not without consequence. the spinal cord is made up of thousand of nerve cables in a tightly compacted space; opening and disturbing this space invariably disturbs other nerve which results in side effects. usually it results in limb ataxia, and some doctors say a tremor is possibly, though i have found no data to support this claim. however, duke university has been fine tuning this procedure to where they have been reportedly able to reduce post procedural complications from a 60% rate down to 10% rate. if you are interested in pursuing this procedure, i strongly suggest contacting duke’s neurosurgical department for more information.
if the procedure is successful, pain relief is immediate. however, there is a 20-30% pain recurrence rate. the nerves are designed to regenerate themselves, in this case, unfortunately for us.
the researcher
Researcher-
I just had the procedure done 5/27. I had it done on both sides because I hvae had 4 MVD’s and the pain kept coming back, due to the fact things(vessels) kept growing back. You are correct in the fact that it is a VERY INTENSE procedure. My surgery was thursday at 12. It took 6 hrs, in the hospital all day fri, out sat at noon. The recovery is extremely difficult, but possible.
THE RELIEF IS NOT, I REPEAT NOT IMMEDIATE!!! do not think that it doesnt work, but the nerves need time to calm down. I am 9 days out of surgery and still have pain. Please do not tell people it is immediate… My surgeon, Dr. Casey did a wonderful job. It IS typical that you still have pain after. It could take weeks or days for the pain to go away.
I will keep you posted on how I am…
the researcher said:
the dorsal root entry zone is a procedure which is not to be taken lightly. it is a very complex procedure involving a cervical laminectomy and penetration into the spinal cord. this procedure is reserved for very troubling facial pain cases, when nothing else has helped, and nothing more can simply be done.
the procedure is also known as a trigeminal tractotomy. the nerves course into the brainstem and make their way up the stem into the midbrain. the surgeon opens the spinal cord and accesses this tract, uses a heated electrode and selectively damages this part of the nerve, along with the trigeminal nucleus, to disable the pain signals in the face. numbness is avoided, assuming the surgeon is skilled, because only the pain tract is being destroyed.
this procedure is not without consequence. the spinal cord is made up of thousand of nerve cables in a tightly compacted space; opening and disturbing this space invariably disturbs other nerve which results in side effects. usually it results in limb ataxia, and some doctors say a tremor is possibly, though i have found no data to support this claim. however, duke university has been fine tuning this procedure to where they have been reportedly able to reduce post procedural complications from a 60% rate down to 10% rate. if you are interested in pursuing this procedure, i strongly suggest contacting duke’s neurosurgical department for more information.
if the procedure is successful, pain relief is immediate. however, there is a 20-30% pain recurrence rate. the nerves are designed to regenerate themselves, in this case, unfortunately for us.
the researcher
Ally,
I wish you well. You have been through so much. I pray this works. Please keep us posted.
Liz
Ally Castellano said:
Researcher-
I just had the procedure done 5/27. I had it done on both sides because I hvae had 4 MVD’s and the pain kept coming back, due to the fact things(vessels) kept growing back. You are correct in the fact that it is a VERY INTENSE procedure. My surgery was thursday at 12. It took 6 hrs, in the hospital all day fri, out sat at noon. The recovery is extremely difficult, but possible.
THE RELIEF IS NOT, I REPEAT NOT IMMEDIATE!!! do not think that it doesnt work, but the nerves need time to calm down. I am 9 days out of surgery and still have pain. Please do not tell people it is immediate… My surgeon, Dr. Casey did a wonderful job. It IS typical that you still have pain after. It could take weeks or days for the pain to go away.
I will keep you posted on how I am…
the researcher said:the dorsal root entry zone is a procedure which is not to be taken lightly. it is a very complex procedure involving a cervical laminectomy and penetration into the spinal cord. this procedure is reserved for very troubling facial pain cases, when nothing else has helped, and nothing more can simply be done.
the procedure is also known as a trigeminal tractotomy. the nerves course into the brainstem and make their way up the stem into the midbrain. the surgeon opens the spinal cord and accesses this tract, uses a heated electrode and selectively damages this part of the nerve, along with the trigeminal nucleus, to disable the pain signals in the face. numbness is avoided, assuming the surgeon is skilled, because only the pain tract is being destroyed.
this procedure is not without consequence. the spinal cord is made up of thousand of nerve cables in a tightly compacted space; opening and disturbing this space invariably disturbs other nerve which results in side effects. usually it results in limb ataxia, and some doctors say a tremor is possibly, though i have found no data to support this claim. however, duke university has been fine tuning this procedure to where they have been reportedly able to reduce post procedural complications from a 60% rate down to 10% rate. if you are interested in pursuing this procedure, i strongly suggest contacting duke’s neurosurgical department for more information.
if the procedure is successful, pain relief is immediate. however, there is a 20-30% pain recurrence rate. the nerves are designed to regenerate themselves, in this case, unfortunately for us.
the researcher
can you explain more about that procedure for me?
opps i found it thank u
Holly Brook said:
can you explain more about that procedure for me?
hi ally,
congratulations for surviving the most difficult of procedures.
i’m sorry to hear you are still having pain. this is a procedure which has a small collection of data due to the rigorous screening protocol it employs and the complex nature of the surgery.
please post your recovery progress so that others may learn from you.
best wishes for pain free days soon,
the researcher
Ally Castellano said:
Researcher-
I just had the procedure done 5/27. I had it done on both sides because I hvae had 4 MVD’s and the pain kept coming back, due to the fact things(vessels) kept growing back. You are correct in the fact that it is a VERY INTENSE procedure. My surgery was thursday at 12. It took 6 hrs, in the hospital all day fri, out sat at noon. The recovery is extremely difficult, but possible.
THE RELIEF IS NOT, I REPEAT NOT IMMEDIATE!!! do not think that it doesnt work, but the nerves need time to calm down. I am 9 days out of surgery and still have pain. Please do not tell people it is immediate… My surgeon, Dr. Casey did a wonderful job. It IS typical that you still have pain after. It could take weeks or days for the pain to go away.
I will keep you posted on how I am…
the researcher said:the dorsal root entry zone is a procedure which is not to be taken lightly. it is a very complex procedure involving a cervical laminectomy and penetration into the spinal cord. this procedure is reserved for very troubling facial pain cases, when nothing else has helped, and nothing more can simply be done.
the procedure is also known as a trigeminal tractotomy. the nerves course into the brainstem and make their way up the stem into the midbrain. the surgeon opens the spinal cord and accesses this tract, uses a heated electrode and selectively damages this part of the nerve, along with the trigeminal nucleus, to disable the pain signals in the face. numbness is avoided, assuming the surgeon is skilled, because only the pain tract is being destroyed.
this procedure is not without consequence. the spinal cord is made up of thousand of nerve cables in a tightly compacted space; opening and disturbing this space invariably disturbs other nerve which results in side effects. usually it results in limb ataxia, and some doctors say a tremor is possibly, though i have found no data to support this claim. however, duke university has been fine tuning this procedure to where they have been reportedly able to reduce post procedural complications from a 60% rate down to 10% rate. if you are interested in pursuing this procedure, i strongly suggest contacting duke’s neurosurgical department for more information.
if the procedure is successful, pain relief is immediate. however, there is a 20-30% pain recurrence rate. the nerves are designed to regenerate themselves, in this case, unfortunately for us.
the researcher
Just wanted to update you all…
It is 2 weeks today that I had DREZ. I am still having lots of pain, but I trust my surgeon [Dr. Casey : )] who says the pain will go away. I am having a tough time right now. On top of TN pain I have lots of pressure in my head. I feel my brain moving is what it feels like. It is just because there is air!! I don’t have any pain from the incision : ) It is numb, which is good for the moment. I have some ataxia in my right arm, but it is getting better each day! I had a blood test done yesterday and white count was high with a fever, so I am now on anti-biotics! I have had 4 MVD’s and this is by far the toughest recovery. It will be worth it though if I can have my life back.
I know everything happens for a reason, but I wish I could just get my life back!!!
hang in there, I hope it gets better for you soon!
Hi Ally,
Have you already written down your experience with DREZ in any detail? I’m probably going to have it later this year and I’m looking for a sense of what the procedure is like, recovery, etc…especially from someone who has had MVD. How in the world did you survive four of them?!
Ally Castellano said:
Just wanted to update you all…
It is 2 weeks today that I had DREZ. I am still having lots of pain, but I trust my surgeon [Dr. Casey : )] who says the pain will go away. I am having a tough time right now. On top of TN pain I have lots of pressure in my head. I feel my brain moving is what it feels like. It is just because there is air!! I don’t have any pain from the incision : ) It is numb, which is good for the moment. I have some ataxia in my right arm, but it is getting better each day! I had a blood test done yesterday and white count was high with a fever, so I am now on anti-biotics! I have had 4 MVD’s and this is by far the toughest recovery. It will be worth it though if I can have my life back.
I know everything happens for a reason, but I wish I could just get my life back!!!
Pamela,
I wouldn’t mind talking to you about DREZ. Life is a rollercoaster…thats how I make it.
Its been a rough day so I can’t write all that I want about DREZ today, but I just wanted to let you know that I am willing to talk. Let me know when you get this and I will write a book for ya!
Pamela Wilson said:
Hi Ally,
Have you already written down your experience with DREZ in any detail? I’m probably going to have it later this year and I’m looking for a sense of what the procedure is like, recovery, etc…especially from someone who has had MVD. How in the world did you survive four of them?!
Ally Castellano said:Just wanted to update you all…
It is 2 weeks today that I had DREZ. I am still having lots of pain, but I trust my surgeon [Dr. Casey : )] who says the pain will go away. I am having a tough time right now. On top of TN pain I have lots of pressure in my head. I feel my brain moving is what it feels like. It is just because there is air!! I don’t have any pain from the incision : ) It is numb, which is good for the moment. I have some ataxia in my right arm, but it is getting better each day! I had a blood test done yesterday and white count was high with a fever, so I am now on anti-biotics! I have had 4 MVD’s and this is by far the toughest recovery. It will be worth it though if I can have my life back.
I know everything happens for a reason, but I wish I could just get my life back!!!