While doing a little light Sunday afternoon reading I found this little gem, it seems quite comprehensive by comparrison to a lot of the articles I’ve read, and it covers the varying types of glosso, thought I’d share it and see what you all thought
Overview
Several disorders that cause facial pain can be successfully treated by neurosurgical procedures. It is important to accurately diagnose the disorder and identify the best treatment for each disorder. In the absence of randomized prospective studies, standardized methods of reporting, and standardized outcome criteria, it is difficult to compare the results of various surgical procedures and the different reported series of the same surgical procedure. Nevertheless, several important observations emerge from reviews of the literature and personal experience.
General Observations on Facial Pain
- Accurate diagnosis is required.
- The diagnosis of typical Trigeminal Neuralgia (TGN) is seldom difficult.
- In general, the length of the list of the patients symptoms is directly proportional to the likelihood of treatment failure.
- Medical treatment should be explored before surgery is contemplated.
- There is no successful surgical procedure for treatment of atypical facial pain.
- It is more difficult to treat neuropathic than neuralgic pain.
- Patients with dysesthetic pain seldom respond to ablative surgery.
- There is no single superior treatment for facial pain. The treatment should be individualized. Patients should have access to a broad spectrum of treatment options.
- The results of surgical treatment diminish as facial pain becomes more chronic.
Results for Vagoglossopharyngeal Neuralgia
Current neurosurgical procedures for the treatment of vagoglossopharyngeal neuralgia include PSR
rhizotomy, open intracranial rhizotomy, MVD, and recently PSR trigeminal
nucleotomy-tractotomy. In recommending treatment, one must consider the following
observations:
Open intracranial rhizotomy has the highest rate of long-term pain relief
After open rhizotomy of the glossopharyngeal and upper vagal rootlets, long-term
pain relief is consistently achieved in more than 90% of patients (38,39). MVD
has inconsistently achieved high rates of pain relief. Some surgeons reported
pain relief in more than 90% of patients after MVD (40,41), Resnick et al. reported
a 76% pain relief in patients followed for more than 2 years (42).
PSR rhizotomy carries the highest risk of postoperative dysphagia, vocal cord paralysis, and irritative cough
The authors have had difficulty achieving precise controlled coagulation of
the glossopharyngeal and vagal nerves. Many series have reported dysphagia and
vocal cord paralysis after PSR rhizotomy (38). The authors restrict the use
of PSR rhizotomy to patients with glossopharyngeal neuralgia from cancer who
already have developed vocal cord paralysis and swallowing difficulty.
Open rhizotomy has been associated with 10-20% risk of temporary swallowing problems (38). Many authors have decreased this risk by restricting
vagal rhizotomy to the upper two or upper third of the vagal rootlets and preserving
the upper large-diameter vagal rootlets (38). The authors have not encountered
cases of postoperative permanent dysphagia or vocal cord paralysis after they
used intraoperative monitoring of the false vocal cord to differentiate motor
from sensory vagal rootlets (43).
MVD was introduced to minimize the risks associated with section of the upper vagal rootlets; however, dysphagia and vocal cord paralysis can
develop from excessive manipulation of the lower cranial nerves. In the series
of Resnick et al., 10% of patients developed transient paresis of the cranial
nerves IX and X and 2% developed permanent moderate swallowing difficulty (42).
Perioperative care
Patients with glossopharyngeal neuralgia may develop hemodynamic instability
during intubation, manipulation of the lower cranial nerves, and postoperatively
secondary to hypersensitivity to the vagus nucleus, ephaptic transmission between
cranial nerves IX and X or nuclei, and hypersensitivity of the carotid sinus
reflex. Before laryngeal intubation, topical anesthesia to the oropharynx and
intravenous atropine should be administered. Intraoperatively, the surgeon should
avoid excessive manipulation of the lower cranial nerves to decrease risks of
severe fluctuations of blood pressure and heart rate. Atropine should be administered
prior to section of the vagal rootlets. Strict postoperative control of blood
pressure is required to avoid hypertensive crisis. These risks should be taken
seriously. In the series of Resnick et al. of MVD, the mortality rate from hemodynamic
instability was 5% (42).
Open rhizotomy is recommended for patients with vagoglossopharyngeal syncope
Ten percent of patients with vagoglossopharyngeal neuralgia develop sudden excessive
vagal outflow during an attack resulting in bradycardia, heart arrhythmias,
hypotension, syncope, seizure, or cardiac arrest, known as vagoglossopharyngeal
syncope. Bradyarrythmia can be transiently blocked by atropine, while hypotension
usually responds to local injection of lidocaine near the carotid bifurcation
(38). Vagoglossopharyngeal syncope can be successfully treated with carbamazepine
and with open rhizotomy (38). Data are insufficient to support the use of MVD
or other surgical procedures for this disorder.
Open rhizotomy is contraindicated in bilateral glossopharyngeal neuralgia. In the rare event of bilateral glossopharyngeal neuralgia, open rhizotomy
carries a high risk of swallowing problems from sectioning both glossopharyngeal
nerves (38). In bilateral glossopharyngeal neuralgia, MVD is likely the treatment
of choice.
Conclusion
Open rhizotomy seems to have the highest rate of long-term pain relief. Risks
of postoperative dysphagia and vocal cord paralysis are minimized by using intraoperative
vagal monitoring. MVD has a low risk of permanent dysphagia and vocal cord paralysis
and a lower rate of long-term pain relief. Open rhizotomy is the treatment of
choice for patients who experience vagoglossopharyngeal syncope. MVD is the
treatment of choice for patients who develop bilateral glossopharyngeal syncope.
PSR rhizotomy should be restricted to patients with pain of cancer who already
have swallowing problems and vocal cord paralysis. Percutaneous trigeminal nucleotomy-tractotomy
requires further evaluation before recommending it as a treatment option (44).
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Through the Trigeminal Neuralgia Association (TNA), local support groups are available. The support group provides an opportunity for patients and their families to share experiences, receive support, and learn about advances in treatments, pain control, and medications. Additional information is available on the web at www.tna-support.org or facial-neuralgia.org
If you would like information about the Greater Cincinnati Trigeminal Neuralgia Support Group, please call the Mayfield Clinic at (513)■■■■■■■■. For support outside Greater Cincinnati, please contact the Trigeminal Neuralgia Association at 800-■■■■■■■■.
The following journal articles and books formed the basis of our observations along with our own personal experience. Bibliography listing.
All of this info was found here: http://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PE-rVGN.HTM
For me I'm bilateral and have the pain in my ears, so from what I understand although I have eagles the surgery for that is likely to be unsuccessful, and although MVD is likely the treatment suggestion of choice the risks are high and long term success is low.
There's the whole DREZ option but that seems to be last choice for TN, and maybe helpful at best, but who knows what it would do for glosso in reality.
I'm a bit obsessive in my quest for help for the spazzy masses such as ourselves, but it seems we couldn't have landed with more awkward or more dangerous a thing to treat.
In many ways I'm thankful there aren't more of us dealing with this, but in others it's so frustrating we are so few in numbers. At least when you are affected by a condition that is well known and well documented,and affecting a large portion of the population the powers that be ( and the pharmaceutical companies) plough lots of money into research and development for treatments, and cures ( because that's where the funding and profit is) for us at best we get to try the latest anticonvulsants in the hope they help, or the odd antidepressant or analgesic. I'm sorry to sound so cynical but that seems to be the way it is, TN is supposed to be up to 100 times more common, and they get very little designated research/funding.
Anyway I'm totally getting off track, and I'm going to choose not to get onto that soap box for now, but I thought this article was really interesting so I thought I would share.Much love
Gracie x x x