Percutaneous balloon compression of the Gasserian ganglion in trigeminal neuralgia

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Abstract
One hundred and fifty patients with trigeminal neuralgia were treated by percutaneous compression of the Gasserian ganglion (PCGG) during the last 8 years. The technique is the one described by Mullan with the balloon inflated during 6 minutes with 0,7 cc of contrast medium. Over a follow-up period ranging from 6 months to 8 years with an average of 4 years, one hundred and four patients (69,3%) have remained painfree. Postoperative complications included dysaesthesias in 16 patients (moderate in 15), hypo-aesthesia in 140 (moderate in 138), hypo-acousia and otalgia in ten, and masticatory weakness also in ten. The recurrence rate was 30%. The main advantages of the procedure are exceptionally severe dysaesthesias (one case), the rarity of corneal complications (4 cases), the short hospital stay (three days on average). Its disadvantage is the need for a general anaesthetic. This study shows that percutaneous compression is efficacious and technically easy.