[Surgical treatment of secondary trigeminal neuralgia].

OBJECTIVE: To present a case series analysis of surgical treatment of patients with secondary trigeminal neuralgia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The treatment of 8 patients with secondary trigeminal neuralgia who underwent surgery since 2021 was analyzed. All records, neuroimaging archive, and follow-up observations were reviewed. RESULTS: There were 5 patients with trigeminal neuralgia associated with multiple sclerosis; with neurosarcoidosis (n=1); with tumor (n=1); with unspecified degenerative disease (n=1). The mean age was 61 years (from 48 to 73), the mean duration of disease was 7.2 years (from 5 to 13). Radiofrequency ablation (RF) was performed in 4 cases, balloon compression in 3 cases, tumor removal in 1 case. Relief of trigeminal neuralgia after surgery was observed in 7 patients, partial reduction in 1 patient. A complication was noted in a patient with neurosarcoidosis after RF with the appearance of dysesthesia, dry eye. The mean follow-up was 10 months (1 to 29). Pain recurrence occurred in 2 patients, one of them underwent the surgery twice. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment of patients with secondary trigeminal neuralgia contributes to pain relief.