Trigeminal neuralgia. Report of 140 cases

Abstract

140 patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia are evaluated. 22 patients were treated by symphatholytic and parasympatholytic drugs and the remaining 118 were operated on by peripheral neurectomy and nerve avulsion. In case of involvement of the inferior alveolar nerve, Thoma's, Poppen's and Ginwalla's method were tried. All cases were critically evaluated and followed for a period of 6 months to 5 years. The objective was to assess the different techniques and to find out the most ideal method of management. Our study showed that an injection of atropine was quite promising in the third division involvement while peripheral neurectomy in second division involvement (Ginwalla's technique of nerve avulsion) was found to be more satisfactory than Thoma's or Poppen's method.