Mj. Fardy et al., PERIPHERAL SURGICAL TECHNIQUES FOR THE MANAGEMENT OF TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA ALCOHOL AND GLYCEROL INJECTIONS, Acta neurochirurgica, 129(3-4), 1994, pp. 181-185
Trigeminal neuralgia remains a difficult condition to manage. Surgery
aimed at peripheral nerve branches continues to be used extensively by
oral and maxillofacial surgeons. The efficacy of 68 peripheral alcoho
l injections (retrospective study) and 22 peripheral glycerol injectio
ns (prospective study) were assessed in comparison with peripheral cry
otherapy. The results indicate that the median time for total pain con
trol after the first alcohol block was 13 months. When individual bran
ches were assessed it was 13 months for the infra-orbital nerve and 19
months for the inferior alveolar nerve. These results compare with th
e published results on cryotherapy. The results for glycerol were disa
ppointing with a mean time of pain relief of 7 months. The results sug
gest that peripheral alcohol nerve blocks do still have a role to play
in the management of trigeminal neuralgia, particularly in the elderl
y, medically compromised and those unwilling to undergo more extensive
surgery. They also provide a means of temporary relief.