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The results of treating 61 patients suffering from trigeminal neuralgia by Gasserian ganglioglycerolysis were estimated in the studies. The following features were considered: sex, age, side of pain, duration of symptoms, pharmacological therapy and the course glycerolysis procedure, with attention being paid to whether the CSF outflow is present or not. The ganglionglycerolysis procedure was modified to ensure that the needle is inserted directly in the ganglion, but not into periganglional space. The anesthetic effect was obtained by simultaneous glycerol injection and slow needle withdrawal. The recent and remote results were assessed by implementing own subjective pain sensibility scale, characterizing the therapeutic results and the frequency of disease recurrence.

The authors reviewed a series of 38 consecutive patients with trigeminal neuralgia treated by percutaneous thermocoagulation in 1984-90. In 10 patients in whom the result of the treatment was unsatisfactory the coagulation was repeated (in 2 out of 10 twice). The analysis of the results showed that good outcome was connected with permanent anaesthesia in the area innervated by the coagulated branch. If anaesthesia was not present 24 hours after the treatment, it suggested that an insufficient lesion was done and consequently unsatisfactory result was likely. In patients in whom there was a sensory impairment after either thermocoagulation or other form of treatment (injection of alcohol or rhizotomy) repeated thermocoagulation not only did not give good results but could lead to worsening of the pain.

The authors reviewed a series of 38 consecutive patients with trigeminal neuralgia treated with percutaneous thermocoagulation in years 1984-90. In 10 patients in whom the result of treatment was unsatisfactory the coagulation was repeated (in 2 out of 10 threefold). The analysis of the results showed that good outcome was connected with permanent anaesthesia in the area innervated by the coagulated branch. If the anaesthesia was not present 24 hours after the treatment, it suggested that an insufficient lesion was done and consequently unsatisfactory result was likely. In patients in whom there was sensory impairment after either thermocoagulation or other form of treatment (injection of alcohol or rhizotomy) repeated thermocoagulation not only did not give good results but could lead to worsening of pain.