J Korean Pain Soc.  2003 Jun;16(1):92-96.

Nasociliary Nerve Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation for Trigeminal Neuralgia: A case report

• Kang HK
• Park YO
• Shin KM
• Kim YM
• Kim HJ
• Yoon YJ

Abstract

Nasociliary nerve thermocoagulation was performed for trigeminal neuralgia in a 79-year-old female patient suffering from neuralgic pain in the nasal cavity. A peripheral RF neurotomy was chosen as the appropriate treatment due to the patient's old age and poor general condition. The target point was the anterior ethmoidal nerve, in the vicinity of the anterior ethmoidal foramen. The cannula was inserted, about 5 mm lateral to the point at which the medial margin of the orbit met the sphenoid plane, under C-arm fluoroscopy. The pain and paresthesia were produced by stimulation at 0.3 volts and 50 Hz. The patient was finally relieved from 10 years of extreme neuralgic pain. The nasociliary neurotomy was successfully performed. This is the first ever trial of this procedure, to the best of our knowledge anywhere in the world.

Keyword

Nasociliary nerve; Radio frequency thermocoagulation; Trigeminal neuralgia

MeSH Terms

Aged
Catheters
Electrocoagulation*
Female
Fluoroscopy
Humans
Nasal Cavity
Orbit
Paresthesia
Trigeminal Neuralgia*