I see so many people with MVDs that have failed over time. I am wondering why you are choosing MVD over rhizotomy? Are there long term problems with the rhizotomy s well? THe MVD seems like a more invasive procedure with a lot of failure? I worry about having teflon sponges in my head as well. I did see a paper where they used the persons own muscle but no one hear seems to have had that. Doesnt the rhizotomy just get rid of this altogehter?
Peaceful, my understanding is there is more risk , percentage wise, of side effects with the rhizotomy. I don’t know if that’s accurate or not. I’ve had my condition for six months and am scheduled for MVD in 10 days
With Dr Horowitz in Pittsburgh.
I have seen mixed responses about that to re:side effects. I wish you the best with your MVD. did your problem show up on a scan? Is it just 9 and 10? I feel like I have more than 9 and 10 involved.
The surgeon said he sees a large vein that appears to be laying on the nerves. The radiologist here at Emory reported "normal". The surgeon offered me the surgery over the phone so I guess he's pretty confident. It's all very unnerving but I have to hope that the surgeon's analysis together with my symptoms means we are on the right track. I may have geniculate an trigeminal as well. I'll meet with him next Monday but as of now he is going in for CN s, 5, 9, and 10 and sectioning the nervus intermedius. Horowitz seems highly skilled, careful, etc - he has videos of his MVDs on you tube and his website.
RF Rhizotomy has similar initial success stats to MVD for Trigeminal Neuralgia, a related neurological issue. About 50-70% of all patients with lightning-strike forms of pain will be pain free after seven years (there is some variation between reports). MVD has been evaluated for longer periods, and about 50% of initially successful procedures are still pain free at 12 years. Facial numbness is somewhat more frequent with Rhizotomy than with MVD, but many patients prefer the numbness to the pain they had before. Anesthesia Doulorousa -- surface numbness with painful burning beneath it -- can occur with either procedure. I've seen stats for AD in the range of 5%, and for numbness without underlying pain closer to a third for Rhizotomy, maybe 15% or so for MVD.
Regards and best,
Red Lawhern, Ph.D.
Resident Research Analyst and Moderator
Living With TN
Hello,
I had MVD for GPN and GN on 9/2012 and have been pain free since. I have no side effects at all and after suffering from that horrible pain for 12 years I love those sponges!!! If the MVD would have not been successful I would have had to consider rhizotomy. Thankfully all is fantastic so far. The MVD is much less invasive as the nerves are left intact. I did have my nervous intermedious severed though, but you don’t need that for anything other than pain. That was done due to the Geniculate Neuralgia, which is the ear pain.
I hope this helps!
Laura
Has anyone had a Rhizotomy that was initially successful, but the pain later returned ?
Sonelle