Trigeminal neuralgia secondary to epidermoid cyst at the cerebellopontine angle: case report and brief overview

Abstract

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a paroxysmal shock-like pain restricted to the innervations of the areas of one or more trigeminal branches, often set off by light stimuli in a trigger zone. Pain attacks occur spontaneously, and can also be triggered by a nonpainful sensory stimulus to the skin, intraoral mucosa surrounding the teeth, or tongue. The pathogenesis of TN is uncertain and typically is idiopathic, but it may be due to a structural lesion. Various proposed causes include traumatic compression of the trigeminal nerve by neoplastic or vascular anomalies, infectious agents such as human herpes simplex virus, and intracranial tumors or demyelinating conditions such as multiple sclerosis. Here we report a case of a young patient diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia secondary to epidermoid cyst at the cerebellopontine angle.