Glossopharyngeal neuralgia: neurosurgical treatment and differential diagnosis

Abstract

The objective of this study was to review the literature on glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GN) and to discuss its differential diagnosis and treatment options. Despite the significant improvement of trigeminal neuralgia with pharmacological treatment, GN has a higher incidence of treatment failure and neurosurgery is necessary for the majority of patients. Functional neurosurgery has a great rate of success for GN, especially techniques such as percutaneous thermal rhizotomy, trigeminal tractotomy and/or nucleotomy. The main problem with GN remains the diagnosis as it is a rare disease with similarities to trigeminal neuralgia, including the same pharmacological treatment. Facial pain specialists should be trained to achieve a better accuracy of diagnosis.