# What's thermacoagulation?

**URL:** <https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/whats-thermacoagulation/1807>\
**Category:** General TN & GPN (Old Site)\
**Created:** [December 13, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/whats-thermacoagulation/1807 "2011-12-13T19:08:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Asmara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Asmara](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/Asmara)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/whats-thermacoagulation/1807/1 "2011-12-13T19:08:18Z")

</div>

Anyone done it before?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![anon25930859](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4491bb/32.png) [@anon25930859](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/anon25930859)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 7:19pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/whats-thermacoagulation/1807/2 "2011-12-13T19:19:38Z")

</div>

**thermocoagulation** - congealing tissue by heat (as by electric current). I believe this process is used in RF Rhizotomy to cause a controlled lesion on the trigeminal nerve, reducing its efficiency in transmitting pain pulses.

Regards, Red

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Asmara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Asmara](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/Asmara)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 7:31pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/whats-thermacoagulation/1807/3 "2011-12-13T19:31:13Z")

</div>

Thanks a lot Red, do you happen to have any statistics on its efficiency?

Richard A. "Red" Lawhern said:

> **thermocoagulation** - congealing tissue by heat (as by electric current). I believe this process is used in RF Rhizotomy to cause a controlled lesion on the trigeminal nerve, reducing its efficiency in transmitting pain pulses.
> 
> Regards, Red

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![anon25930859](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4491bb/32.png) [@anon25930859](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/u/anon25930859)\
**Post date:** [December 13, 2011, 7:55pm UTC](https://forum.livingwithfacialpain.org/t/whats-thermacoagulation/1807/4 "2011-12-13T19:55:32Z")

</div>

In Type I TN patients, RF Rhizotomy is successful in stopping or greatly improving pain in 90% or more of patients who are treated. About 50-70% of all Rhizotomy patients are still pain free 7 years later. I haven't seen stats for longer periods. And please realize that "efficiency" is intended to be a qualitative or generally descriptive term in this context. It just means that the nerve doesn't work as well. Facial numbness is a frequent side effect of Rhizotomy, but for many patients a welcome one.

Regards