Trigeminal Neuralgia
Trigeminal neuralgia is a severe, intermittent pain that occurs on one side of the face. The pain represents hyperactivity of the nerve for sensation in the face. It is usually caused by pressure from a blood vessel pulsing against the nerve near the brain. It is occasionally caused by other neurologic diseases.
The primary treatment of trigeminal neuralgia is with medication. If the medicines do not provide adequate relief, surgery may be offered. For most patients, the operation involves moving the offending artery away from the nerve and placing a pad between them (the "Jannetta procedure"). For other people, an injection of medication into the space around the nerve settles the hyperactivity without damaging the nerve (glycerol rhizotomy).
Dr. Bruce Cook, a New England Neurological Associates neurosurgeon, is particularly interested in the surgical treatment of trigeminal neuralgia and did extensive training with Dr. Peter Jannetta, who developed the operation which is the most effective treatment for this condition
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