Can CT-guided radiofrequency thermocoagulation treat trigeminal neuralgia?

    Trigeminal neuralgia is a disease characterized by episodic pain in the maxillofacial region, often severe pain in one or more branches of the trigeminal nerve, mostly located on one side, often recurrent, with an incidence of 182/100,000 people, which increases with age. The treatment of primary trigeminal neuralgia by percutaneous puncture of the trigeminal hemianopia with radiofrequency thermocoagulation is the anterior approach puncture method. The operator punctures the trigeminal nerve with a puncture needle through the oval foramen at the base of the skull approximately 2 cm above the outer corner of the mouth. At this point, the patient felt severe pain, indicating an ideal needle location. After switching to pulsed electrical stimulation to confirm the accurate location of the RF puncture needle tip, the puncture needle is connected to a RF therapeutic instrument for RF thermocoagulation.    Compared with other traditional methods of treating trigeminal neuralgia, such as trigeminal nerve trunk dissection, partial dissection, hemimelaneal ganglion dissection, anhydrous alcohol closure, drug therapy, vascular decompression, and gamma-knife therapy, radiofrequency thermal coagulation treatment for trigeminal neuralgia is effective, safe, has a low recurrence rate, is easy to master, is easily accepted by patients, has few complications, and has a rapid postoperative recovery, and is especially suitable for elderly and frail patients who are not suitable for surgery. It is especially suitable for patients who are too old and weak for surgical treatment, those who relapse after surgical treatment and those who are unwilling to accept surgical treatment. The success of this surgery fills the gap in this field in our city and brings new hope to the majority of trigeminal neuralgia patients.