Peripheral Nerve Stimulation for Chronic Craniofacial Neuralgia

Park, Byung-Joo; Kim, Deog-Ryeong; Son, Byung-chul

Original article

Journal of the Korean Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery 2013;9(2):59-64.
Published online September 30, 2013.

Peripheral Nerve Stimulation for Chronic Craniofacial Neuralgia

Byung-Joo Park, Deog-Ryeong Kim, Byung-chul Son

Departments of Neurosurgery, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, KoreaDepartments of Neurosurgery, St. Vincent's Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Suwonl, Korea3The Catholic Neuroscience Institute, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Objective
We conducted a retrospective analysis of long-term results of peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) for the treatment of chronic craniofacial pain.
Methods
Six patients had electrodes implanted in the peripheral nerves according to the stimulation-induced paresthesia coverage of painful area. PNS was conducted for chronic craniofacial pain. Patients with a greater than 50% reduction in preoperative pain were implanted with an implantable pulse generator (IPG).
Results
Overall, 3 out of 6 patients (50%) had a successful stimulation trial and IPG was inserted. Three patients (50%) did not benefit from trial of stimulation and the electrodes were removed. With 2 years of follow-up, analgesic effect of PNS sustained consistently. Regarding efficacy of PNS, good outcome was achieved in all patients who received an IPG (85.7%).
Conclusion
It seems that the PNS was effective considerable treatment modality for chronic craniofacial pain patients.

Key Words: Peripheral nerve, Stimulation, Pain, Occipital nerve.