- Department of Neurosurgery, Salim Zemirli Hospital - University of Algiers, Algiers, Algeria
Correspondence Address:
Benaissa Abdennebi
Department of Neurosurgery, Salim Zemirli Hospital - University of Algiers, Algiers, Algeria
DOI:10.4103/2152-7806.137838
Copyright: © Abdennebi B This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.How to cite this article: Abdennebi B, Guenane L. Technical considerations and outcome assessment in retrogasserian balloon compression for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. Series of 901 patients. Surg Neurol Int 30-Jul-2014;5:118
How to cite this URL: Abdennebi B, Guenane L. Technical considerations and outcome assessment in retrogasserian balloon compression for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. Series of 901 patients. Surg Neurol Int 30-Jul-2014;5:118. Available from: http://sni.wpengine.com/surgicalint_articles/technical-considerations-and-outcome-assessment-in-retrogasserian-balloon-compression-for-treatment-of-trigeminal-neuralgia-series-of-901-patients/
Abstract
Background:The aim of our study was to describe the retrogasserian balloon compression (RGBC) procedure with some personal tricks and to assess the long-term results.
Methods:Between 1985 and 2012, 901 patients, suffering from refractory trigeminal neuralgia (TN), underwent RGBC procedure in our department. Concerning the surgical technique, the introducer was in close contact with the posterior extremity of the horizontal plate of the palatine bone and had the direction of the bisector of the angle clivus-superior edge of the petrous bone on an X-rays sagittal view. No metallic material was inserted intracranially. The balloon was inflated with 0.7 cc of contrast medium for 6 min.
Results:At 1 month follow up, appreciable pain relief was obtained in 835 patients (92.7%). At 1 year, results were excellent in 605 patients (67.1%), satisfactory in 109 patients (12.1%), poor in 57 patients (6.3%), fair in 66 patients (7.3%), whereas recurrences were observed in the remaining 64 patients (7.2%). At mean follow up of 16,5 years, 559 (62%) patients remained pain free. Twenty six patients (2,8%) continued to experience severe pain. Recurrences occurred in two hundred and fifty patients (27,8%). Fifty two of them were operated on a third time and 22 underwent four procedures.
Conclusion:RGBC is an appropriate and effective procedure for treatment of refractory TN, ensuring a long lasting pain relief predicted on three factors: pear shape of the balloon, its volume, and duration as mentioned earlier.
Keywords: Balloon compression, foramen oval, percutaneous approaches, recurrences, trigeminal neuralgia
INTRODUCTION
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), also called “suicide disease”, is one of the most painful complaints of the human kind. The appropriate first line treatment is carbamazepine. When it becomes refractory, surgery is indicated. The surgical armamentarium dedicated to relieve TN has enlarged and put the neurosurgeon in a hesitating position to choose the appropriate technique. In 1983, Mullan[
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Patients
The pre-and postoperative clinical data of 901 patients treated with BC for refractory TN within a 27-year period, from 1985 to 2012, were reviewed from clinic patient registers. All our patients suffered from drug-resistant idiopathic TN or complained of carbamazepine side effects. Two other procedures, radiofrequency of thermorhizotomy and microvascular decompression, were also performed in our department. The first was considered in case of TN affecting the territories of the maxillary or and mandibular branches with integrity of the ophthalmic nerve's area, the second was recommended for the young patient, aged below 45 years, without co-morbidity. The patient's consent was obtained after informing him that the first technique required an awake and cooperative patient during the procedure that can lead to discomfort for him, whereas for the second, a craniotomy was mandatory.
The patient population consisted of 476 females and 425 males. Their age ranged from 16 to 88 years with a median age of 54.5 years. Four patients underwent previous radiofrequency (RF) of rhizotomy, no patient was operated for performing microvascular decompression. The distribution of the neuralgia concerned the right side in 533 patients, the left side in 365 cases, and was bilateral in 3 patients. The V2 territory, alone or associated to another area, was the most involved: 798 cases (78.62%).
Devices, anesthesia, and head's position
The procedure required a C-arm fluoroscope and the following materials: A hollow metallic introducer (HI) gauge 14 with a sharp tip, swathed in a silicone catheter (SC) allowing the blood or the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to escape in case of vessel injury or dural tear. To inflate the balloon, a number 4 Fogarty catheter (FC) and a contrast medium (CM) as Iopamiro are also required. Surgery was performed under brief general anesthesia with intratracheal intubation. The patient was in supine position, the neck and thorax slightly flexed with the nose in a top position.
This allows us to obtain a strict sagittal X-ray during the following surgical steps.
Surgical procedure
We distinguished two steps:
First, the foramen oval cannulation
For this percutaneous approach, three skin landmarks were marked on the cheek [
Figure 1
The three landmarks of the Hartel's route on the right hemiface: The first corresponds to location of the skin puncture: 2.5 cm lateral to the angle lip. The second is on the inferior edge of the zygomatic arch, 3 cm anterior to the external auditory canal. The third is on the line joining the first point to the pupil on the inferior edge of the orbit
The neurosurgeon's index was in close contact with the internal side of the cheek. It guided the introducer in order to avoid the penetration of the oral cavity [
Figure 3
Three-dimensional volume computerized tomography depicting the vessels in the pterygo maxillary fossa, especially the internal maxillary artery (short white arrow), the foramen oval (long yellow arrow) after resection of the zygomatic arch and the coronoid process of the mandible (black arrows)
Multiple endeavors were sometimes useful to penetrate the FO. Bone landmarks [
Figure 4
Sagittal X-rays showing the metallic hollow introducer (HI) in close contact with the posterior extremity of the horizontal plate of the palatine bone (thin white arrow) and at the level of the foramen oval (thick white arrow). In black lines: The clivus and the superior edge of the petrous bone
The first is the close contact of the introducer with the projection of the posterior extremity of the horizontal plate of the palatine bone observed on the X-rays sagittal view.
The second is the direction of the HI, which should be the bisector of the angle composed by the superior edge of the petrous bone and the clivus [
The crucial step was the engagement of the FO, recognizable by seeing and feeling the masseter muscles shrinking. The advancement of the HI was interrupted from that moment, in order to avoid its penetration inside the skull.
Second, the inflation of the balloon
The HI was withdrawn while the plastic catheter was tenderly pushed up 3-4 mm toward the Gasser ganglion. CSF drops, coming from the trigeminal cistern, may exit through the stylet at the skin orifice. The FC's balloon was filled with CM in order to check its patency and to realize the air evacuation.
Next, the FC was inserted into the hub of the SC so that the extremity corresponding to the deflated balloon was located beyond. Once the optimal location of the balloon was ensured under fluoroscopy with a first small inflation with 0.3 cc of CM, the definitive inflation of the balloon was finally achieved with 0.7 cc for 6 min.
When the BC started, bradycardia with diminution of the blood pressure can occur. The last sagittal X-rays [
Endpoints and quality of the pain relief
Pain relief was evaluated for four times after surgery: The first day, one month, one year, and at the time of the last follow-up. We distinguished five categories: Excellent (totally pain free without any medication), satisfactory (occasional pain controlled with 1-2 tablets of carbamazepine per day), poor (attenuated pain with severe hypoesthesia or dysesthesia), failure (continuance of pain as in the preoperative period), and recurrence (return of the characteristic lightning pain after a remission period superior to one month).
The mean length of the follow up period was 16.5 years.
RESULTS
The day following the surgery, of the 901 patients, 819 (91%) were totally pain free [
One month later, after excluding cases of failures, we observed that among the 835 cases (92.6%), 655 were excellent (72.7%) while 180 (20%) were satisfactory.
At one year follow up, excellent results were observed in 605 patients (67.1%), satisfactory in 109 (12.1%), and poor in 57 other (6.3%). Of the 835 patients, the first recurrences occurred in 64 cases (7.2%).
After a follow up period of 6 months to 27 years according to the cases (average: 16.5 years), 432 patients (47.9%) were complete pain free, whereas results were satisfactory in 127 patients (14.1%). Twenty-six patients (2.8%) complained from severe in lieu of dysesthesias which were the main presenting symptom of our poor results. On the whole, in patients who underwent one procedure, acceptable outcome including excellent and satisfactory results [
The transient and peculiar complications of retrogasserian balloon compression (RGBC) [
The other and common morbidity to all the percutaneous approaches, observed in this series of BC, included perilabialis herpes in 66 cases (7.3%), cranial nerve palsy in 11 cases, diminished corneal reflex in 8 cases, and rhinorhea in 3 cases.
The definitive complications consisted of disabling dysesthesias in 26 patients (2.8%), moderate-to-severe hypoesthesia in 13 cases, and unilateral blindness in 2 patients.
Four patients developed infectious complications, which impacted greatly on their outcome; there were two cases of abscesses, one intracerebral and another one located in the cheek and meningitis in two cases. These different complications are listed in
We deplore, in the beginning of experience, one death following a brainstem injury, which was due to the penetration of the metallic introducer beyond the FO.
DISCUSSION
Although numerous reports were previously published on this topic,[
The number of patients treated (901) and the long follow up (from 6 months to 27 years) conferred singular characteristic to this report.
Anesthetic considerations
Taking advantage of our experience with patient's cooperation in radiofrequency thermorizotomy procedure, the first 20 patients underwent the surgery without intubation but under brief narcosis. Unfortunately, the procedure was extremely painful. We abandoned this technique which was beneficial neither for the patient nor for the surgeon.[
Surgical considerations
Concerning the surgical technique, we observed, in the beginning of experience, failures in cannulation of the FO. Their number decreased, day after day, utilizing an intraoperative C-arm fluoroscopy as frequent as necessary to check the correct trajectory of the HI. Its projection was in close contact with the posterior extremity of the horizontal plate of the palatine bone. This first radiological landmark is of a great importance for the safety and effectiveness of the procedure. By observing it in sagittal view, accurate puncture of the FO was facilitated. As mentioned earlier, the second landmark is the guidance of the HI, which should be the bisector of the angle formed by the clivus and the superior edge of the petrous bone. To reduce the bad steering, some authors recommended for targeting the use of three-dimensional fluoroscopy,[
In so far, this direction is correct, the explanation of the impossibility of crossing the FO refers to an unusual anatomy characterized by spine, tubercle,[
For the procedure's safety, we should have in mind another important anatomical structure, the lateral wall of the cavernous sinus, close neighboring area to the Meckel's cave.[
The clever maneuver of pushing the SC beyond the FO with no intracranial metallic material avoids the premature balloon rupture or other redoubtable issues as injury of any cranial nerve or blood vessel.[
Balloon compression
As to the inflated balloon, the main point was to define the ideal volume and duration of the inflation. In this way, we have changed the parameters increasing the inflation and reducing the compression time. Before our current attitude, they had been 0.4 cc and 9 min for a first subgroup of 20 cases, then 0.5 cc and 7 min for the same number of patients,[
The location and the shape were the two other carefully checked parameters. The best location on a sagittal view X-rays is pre-and postclival corresponding to the compression of the Gasser ganglion-triangular plexus junction. Since the publication of Mullan[
With regard to literature data, volume and time varied from 0.4 to 0.9 cc and from 1 to 9 min. For Lichtor,[
Bergenheim[
Chen[
It was and it remains our policy based on this fact that a longer compression time results in longer symptom-free periods and a well acceptable rate of recurrences. In the meantime, this duration could lead to significant rates of hypoesthesias and masseter muscle weakness; However, our precaution to have no intracranial metallic material, close or inside the trigeminal nerve should certainly reequilibrate the balance of these complications due to the ablative technique.
In recent work published by Brown[
Pain relief considerations
On the results point of view, the analysis of outcome showed that of the 82 cases of immediate failures, 26 were due to pain induced by huge hematoma in the cheek, which obliged us to stop the procedure. One week later, a repeated surgery was performed in all of them, with success in 16 cases. In 14 other cases we failed to cross the FO. In 30 cases, the cause was an atypical circular shape of the balloon. In the remaining 12 cases of unsuccessful surgery, the motive was errors of diagnosis as common cluster headaches, glossopharyngeal neuralgia, or temporo mandibular disorder. Over time, recurrences happened. They do not equate with failure; they are inevitable if intolerable adverse effects are to be minimized.[
Of a series of 185 patients, Chen[
Three salient drawbacks, generally transient, are specific of this technique and could compromise the comfort's patient or his quality of life during the first weeks: Masseter muscle weakness, consecutive to injury of the motor root of the trigeminal occurs in approximately 10% of the cases;[
Buzzing, consequence of the paresis of the tensor tympani muscle is the third frequent complaint. Oculo motor nerve palsies were also reported[
Other advantages of the procedure were the exceptional keratitis following an abolished corneal reflex and the absence of the anesthesia dolorosa or its exceptional supervening.[
CONCLUSION
On the whole, we emphasize on the importance of the skin and imaging landmarks, crucial steps to penetrate the FO and on the pear shape of the balloon, which is a sine qua non condition for good results. According to the immediate postoperative success equal to 91% and the long lasting pain relief observed in 62% of the series, we can assert that RGBC is an effective and safe procedure in patients of any age. However, the best candidates are patients with neuralgia affecting the V1 territory, old patients, those in poor medical condition but also those suffering from a very intense pain and consequently who cannot cooperate during surgery. Likewise we should take into account the short mean total procedure time of 30 min, the short hospital stay of 24 h, and its cost efficiency.
References
1. Abdennebi B, Mahfouf L, Nedjahi T. Long term results of percutaneous compression of the Gasserian ganglion in trigeminal neuralgia (series of 200 patients). Stereotact Funct Neurosurg. 1997. 68: 190-5
2. Abdennebi B, Bouatta F, Chitti M, Bougatene B. Percutaneous balloon compression of the gasserian ganglion in trigeminal neuralgia. Long term results in 150 cases. Acta Neurochir. 1995. 136: 72-4
3. Abdennebi B, Amzar Y. Traitement de la nevralgie trigeminale essentielle par compression gasserienne par ballonet (50 cas). Neurochirurgie. 1991. 37: 115-8
4. Asplund P, Linderoth B, Bergenheim AT. The predictive power of balloon shape and change of sensory functions on outcome of percutaneous balloon compression for trigeminal neuralgia. J Neurosurg. 2010. 113: 498-507
5. Baabor MG, Perez Limonte L. Percutaneous balloon compression of the gasserian ganglion for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia: Personal experience of 206 patients. Acta Neurochir Suppl. 2011. 108: 251-4
6. Bergenheim AT, Asplund P, Linderoth B. Percutaneous retrogasserian balloon compression for trigeminal neuralgia: Review of critical technical details and outcomes. World Neurosurg. 2013. 79: 359-68
7. Bergenheim AT, Linderoth B. Diplopia after balloon compression of retrogasserian ganglion rootlets for trigeminal neuralgia: Technical case report. Neurosurgery. 2008. 62: 533-4
8. Bohnstedt BN, Tubbs RS, Cohen-Gadol AA. The use of intraoperative navigation for percutaneous procedures at the skull base including a difficult-to-access foramen oval. Neurosurgery. 2012. 70: 177-80
9. Brown JA, Pilitsis JG. Percutaneous balloon compression for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia: Results in 56 patients based on balloon compression pressure monitoring. Neurosurg Focus. 2005. 18: E10-
10. Brown JA. Direct carotid cavernous fistula after trigeminal balloon microcompression gangliolysis: Case report. Neurosurgery. 1997. 40: 886-
11. Brown JA, Chittum CJ, Sabol D, Gouda JJ. Percutaneous balloon compression of the trigeminal nerve for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. Neurosurg Focus. 1996. 1: e4-
12. Brown JA, Hoeflinger B, Long PB, Gunning WT, Rhoades R, Bennet-Clarke CA. Axon and ganglion cell injury in rabbits after percutaneous trigeminal balloon compression. Neurosurgery. 1996. 38: 993-1004
13. Chen JF, Tu PH, Lee ST. Long-term follow-up of patients treated with percutaneous balloon compression for trigeminal neuralgia in Taiwan. World Neurosurg. 2011. 76: 586-91
14. Cheng JS, Lim DA, Chang EF, Barbaro NM. A review of percutaneous treatments for trigeminal neuralgia. Neurosurgery. 2014. 10: 25-33
15. Chroni E, Constantoyannis C, Prasoulis I, Kargiotis O, Kagadis GC, Georgiopoulos M. Masseter muscle function after percutaneous balloon compression of trigeminal ganglion for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia: A neurophysiological follow-up study. Clin Neurophysiol. 2011. 122: 410-3
16. Egan RA, Pless M, Shults WT. Monocular blindness as a complication of trigeminal radiofrequency rhizotomy. Am J Ophtalmol. 2001. 131: 237-40
17. Fraioli B, Esposito V, Guidetti B, Cruccu G, Manfredi M. Treatment of trigeminal neuralgia by thermocoagulation, glycerolization, and percutaneous compression of the gasserian ganglion and/or retrogasserian rootlets: Long-term results and therapeutic protocol. Neurosurgery. 1989. 24: 239-45
18. Gutzwiller EM, Smoll N, Meier R, Chen JF. Predictors of outcomes after percutaneous balloon compression for trigeminal neuralgia. Neurosurgery. 2013. 60: 178-
19. Huaman LA, Gonzales-Portillo M. Percutaneous Rhizotomy Gasserian ganglion with balloon for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. Revista Peruana de Neurocirugía. 2009. 4: 7-10
20. Janjua RM, Al-Mefty O, Densler DW, Shields CB. Dural relationships of Meckel cave and lateral wall of the cavernous sinus. Neurosurg Focus. 2008. 25: E2-
21. Kefalopoulou Z, Markaki E, Constantoyannis C. Avoiding abducens nerve palsy during the percutaneous balloon compression procedure. Stereotact Funct Neurosurg. 2009. 87: 101-4
22. Khairnar KB, Bushari PA. An anatomical study on the foramen oval and the foramen spinosum. J Clin Diagn Res. 2013. 7: 427-9
23. Kouzounias K, Schecshtmann G, Lind G, Winter J, Linderoth B. Factors that influence outcome of percutaneous balloon compression in the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. Neurosurgery. 2010. 67: 925-34
24. Kouzounias K, Schechtmann G, Lind G, Winter J, Blomqvist K, Linderoth B. 596 percutaneous balloon compression for the treatment of refractory trigeminal neuralgia. Eur J Pain. 2009. 13: S1-
25. Langford P, Holt ME, Danks RA. Cavernous sinus fistula following percutaneous balloon compression of the trigeminal ganglion. Case report. J Neurosurg. 2005. 103: 176-8
26. Lichtor T, Mullan JF. A 10-year follow-up review of percutaneous microcompression of the trigeminal ganglion. J Neurosurg. 1990. 72: 49-54
27. Lin MH, Lee MH, Wang TC, Cheng YK, Su CH, Chang CMl. Foramen oval cannulation guided by intra-operative computed tomography with integrated neuronavigation for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2011. 153: 1593-9
28. Liu HB, Zou JJ, Li XG. Percutaneous microballoon compression for trigeminal neuralgia. Chin Med J (Engl). 2007. 120: 228-30
29. Lopes de Souza H, Texeira M, de Tella OI. Compressão do gânglio de Gasser e da raiz trigeminal com balão no tratamento da neuralgia do nervo trigêmeo: Estudo prospectivo de 40 doentes. Arq Bras Neurocir. 2002. 21: 68-90
30. Mullan S, Lichtor T. Percutaneous microcompression of the trigeminal ganglionfor trigeminal neuralgia. J Neurosurg. 1983. 39: 1007-12
31. Nugent GR, Fromm GH, Sessle BJ.editors. Surgical treatment: radiofrequency gangliolysis and rhizotomy. Trigeminal neuralgia: Current concepts regarding pathogenesis and treatment. London: Butterworth-Heinemann; 1991. p. 159-84
32. Olivero WC, Wang H, Rak R, Sharrock MF. Percutaneous balloon rhizotomy for trigeminal neuralgia using three-dimensional fluoroscopy. World Neurosurg. 2012. 77: 202-3
33. Shelden CH, Pudenz RH, Freshwater DB, Crue BL. Compression rather decompression for trigeminal neuralgia. J Neurosurg. 1955. 12: 123-6
34. Sivakumar G, Pirola E, Osman-Farah J. Balloon compression for trigeminal neuralgia-long-term follow-up: A single centre experience. Acta Neurochir (Wien). 2011. 153: 708-
35. Skirving DJ, Dan NG. A 20-year review of percutaneous balloon compression of the trigeminal ganglion. J Neurosurg. 2001. 94: 913-7
36. Tubbs RS, May WR, Apaydin N, Shoja Shokouhi G, Loukas M, Cohen-Gadol A. Ossification of ligaments near the foramen oval: An anatomic study with potential clinical significance regarding transcutaneous approaches to the skull base. Neurosurgery. 2009. 65: 60-4
37. Urculo E, Alfaro R, Arrazola M, Astudillo E, Rejas G. Trochlear nerve palsy after repeated percutaneous balloon compression for recurrent trigeminal neuralgia: Case report and pathogenic considerations. Neurosurgery. 2004. 54: 505-9
38. Van Gompel JJ, Kallmes DF, Moris JM, Fode-Thomas NC, Atkinson JL. Dyna-CT as an imaging adjunct to routine percutaneous balloon compression for trigeminal neuralgia. Stereotact Funct Neurosurg. 2009. 87: 330-3