Search

Background Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a rare condition for which there are multiple treatment options available. To date, there has been difficulty in comparing the outcomes of treatment due to the variety of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and their inadequate psychometric testing. The aim of this review was to assess the psychometric properties of PROMs used to date in TN and make recommendations for their use in future studies. Methods Five electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO, Health and Psychosocial Instruments) were searched for studies assessing the development of PROMs or their psychometric properties in TN studies. The records obtained were assessed independently by two reviewers for their methodological quality, following guidance from the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN). Results Six studies were identified and information on five PROMs (Brief Pain Inventory Facial (BPI-F), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Barrow Neurology Institute Pain Scale (BNI-PS), Penn Facial Pain Scale-Revised (Penn-FPS-R) and Trigeminal Neuralgia Quality of Life Score) were retrieved. The Penn-FPS-R demonstrated moderate quality evidence for sufficient content validity. The BPI-F showed moderate evidence for sufficient internal consistency and structural validity but low evidence for inconsistent content validity. The Trigeminal Neuralgia Quality of Life score showed very low-quality evidence for insufficient content validity, structure validity and responsiveness. No evidence was found on the assessment of any psychometric properties of the VAS and BNI-PS in TN. Conclusion There is limited evidence of the psychometric performance of patient-reported outcomes for TN and recommendations for their inclusion in future studies cannot be made. The validation of PROMs in TN studies should be a priority in this field of research. Significance This review highlights the knowledge gap in the field of psychometrics of patient reported outcomes measures in the field of TN. Given the unavailability of an objective outcome measure for pain or health related quality of life, psychometrically sound PROMs are essential for assessing medical and surgical treatment outcomes in TN.

Aims To test the feasibility and acceptability of a customized six-session cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) group intervention for adults with recurrent trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Methods Fifteen participants with TN were recruited from a specialist facial pain unit in London, United Kingdom. The effects of the group intervention were evaluated using validated self-report measures, which the participants completed before and after the intervention and at 1-month and 9-month follow-ups. A semi-structured interview was also used at the 1-year follow-up to gather qualitative feedback of the group intervention. Results Participants reported an increase in confidence in managing everyday tasks in the presence of TN symptoms, a reduction in negative beliefs about pain, and an increase in engagement in meaningful activity. All patients completed the group intervention (100% retention rate). Qualitative feedback highlighted that the group CBT intervention was helpful, and no participants reported a worsening of mood or experience as a result of the intervention. Conclusion The trends for improvement in several domains, plus the positive experiences of the participants, suggest that a CBT management program is acceptable and feasible for this population and should be further developed and implemented on a larger scale to determine its clinical efficacy.

Background Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a relatively rare condition which has a profound impact not only on the patient but also on those around them. There is no cure for TN, and the management of the condition is complex. The most effective forms of treatment are either through medication, neurosurgery, or combination of the two. Each option has risks and implications for the patient. As with all clinical decisions, it is important for patients to understand and be fully informed of the treatments available to them. A London UK unit adopted a joint-consultation clinic approach where the patient meets with both physician and neurosurgeon at the same time to discuss treatment options. The purpose of this evaluation is to understand patients’ level of satisfaction with the joint-consultation clinic and evaluate utilisation of a clinical decision-making tool. Method Patients who had attended the joint-consultation clinic over a period of 12 months were invited to participate in a telephone or paper survey (N = 55). Responses were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Results Forty-one patients (77% response rate) participated in the survey, and the results were overwhelmingly positive for the joint-consultation clinic regarding satisfaction. The benefits were broad ranging including increased understanding, collaboration and confidence in decision-making. Conclusions A joint-consultation clinic comprising a neurosurgeon and a physician for the treatment of TN is valued by patients who become better informed and able to make decisions about their care. Positive application of clinical decision-making aids in this situation offers potential across specialities.

Aim: Multiple sclerosis (MS) is well recognized as a secondary cause for trigeminal neuralgia (TN). In this case series, we detail the management of all the patients with TN and MS (pwTNMS) presenting to a specialist unit. Materials & methods: A prospective patient database was used to extract key clinical data on pharmacological, psychometric and surgical management of 20 pwTNMS. Results: 65% of pwTNMS underwent surgical interventions for management of their pain.12/20 achieved remission periods, through surgery and/or medication. Significant improvement was noted on the global impression of change illustrated by a p

Background and Aims: Patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN) can be overwhelmed with information they are given when first seen in a specialist secondary care clinic. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the extent to which a telephone service provided by the clinical nurse specialist (CNS) with independent prescribing rights improves patient management and satisfaction and reduces costs. Methods: All patients with a diagnosis of TN who used the CNS telephone service in 2015 were contacted by two medical students (independent observers) using a semi-structured questionnaire. Patients who could not be contacted were sent the same questionnaire and asked to return it by post. Results: Fifty-two patients were identified and 34 replied to a telephone call and 10 to a questionnaire, response rate 85%. Overall, 61% of patients rated their care outstanding or excellent. Four patients could not remember their consultation, others had used it on multiple occasions. Reasons for the consultation were pain management 50%, changeover of drugs 25%, advice about drug schedules 17%, and dealing with side effects 8%. The number of general practitioner (GP) consultations decreased as a result of this service. Patients suggested that the service should be available more than once a week. Conclusion: The CNS telephone service cut down on the number of outpatient appointments needed and reduced travel costs. Patients were appreciative that the CNS was in contact with GPs and this ensured prescriptions were filled in a timely manner and strengthen links with practices.

BackgroundTrigeminal neuralgia (TN) causes severe episodic, unilateral facial pain and is initially treated with antiepileptic medications. For patients not responding or intolerant to medications, surgery is an option.MethodsIn order to expand understanding of the pain-related burden of illness associated with TN, a cross-sectional survey was conducted of patients at a specialist center that utilizes a multidisciplinary care pathway. Participants provided information regarding their pain experience and treatment history, and completed several patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures.ResultsOf 129 respondents, 69/128 (54%; 1 missing) reported no pain in the past 4 weeks. However, 84 (65%) respondents were on medications, including 49 (38%) on monotherapy and 35 (27%) on polytherapy. A proportion of patients had discontinued at least one medication in the past, mostly due to lack of efficacy (n = 62, 48%) and side effects (n = 51, 40%). A total of 52 (40%) patients had undergone surgery, of whom 30 had microvascular decompression (MVD). Although surgery, especially MVD, provided satisfactory pain control in many patients, 29% of post-surgical patients reported complications, 19% had pain worsen or stay the same, 48% were still taking pain medications for TN, and 33% reported new and different facial pain.ConclusionsIn most PRO measures, respondents with current pain interference had poorer scores than those without pain interference. In the Patient Global Impression of Change, 79% expressed improvement since beginning of treatment at this clinic. These results indicate that while the multidisciplinary approach can substantially alleviate the impact of TN, there remains an unmet medical need for additional treatment options.

Orofacial pain is a complex problem and affects up to 7% of the population. Although trigeminal neuralgia has been considered the prime neuralgic condition in the facial region, other forms of neuropathic pain are now being more frequently recognized and require recognition and a different management approach. Many patients with chronic orofacial pain report numerous comorbidities, such as psychiatric or personality disorders, which significantly affect management. Various pain conditions present in the facial region. Some of them rarely present extra-orally (unless as radiating pain) such as atypical odontalgia or persistent dento-alveolar pain disorder and burning mouth syndrome, whereas others will present in both areas such as classical trigeminal neuralgia, post-traumatic trigeminal neuropathy, trigeminal neuropathy attributed to multiple sclerosis, and persistent idiopathic facial pain. Myofascial pain syndrome related to the muscles of mastication is very common and may also be associated with temporomandibular joint problems. Trigeminal neuralgia and the rarer glossopharyngeal neuralgia are similar in quality and characteristics with specific treatment modalities, but differ in pain location. Trigeminal neuropathic pain is caused most frequently by trauma. If no other diagnostic criteria are fulfilled, a diagnosis of persistent idiopathic facial pain is made. It is crucial for these patients to be managed by multidisciplinary teams.

Management strategies for the recurrence of trigeminal neuralgia after microvascular decompression include repeat procedures, medical management or no further therapy. No consensus exists as to which strategy is best for pain relief. The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics of patients with recurrences after microvascular decompression in the cohort, and to compare long-term pain relief between different management strategies.A historical cohort of patients who underwent microvascular decompression at a neurosurgical institution between 1982-2002, followed up by postal survey at five years, was included. Characteristics of patients who experienced a recurrence were compared to those who were recurrence free, and pain relief was compared between each management strategy.From 169 responders who were included in the study, 28 (16.6%) experienced a recurrence after MVD. No characteristics were significantly different between patients who experienced a recurrence and those who did not. Repeat procedures, including repeat microvascular decompression, partial sensory rhizotomy or radiofrequency thermocoagulation, yielded the highest proportion of pain relief after recurrence (p = 0.031), with 63.6% of patients pain-free at five-years. There was no evidence to suggest that the choice of repeat procedure influenced the likelihood of pain relief after recurrence. No further treatment yielded 57.1% pain-free, whereas medical therapy had the lowest proportion of pain-free patients, at 10.0%.A variety of options are available to patients for recurrence of TN after microvascular decompression with repeat procedures yielding the greatest likelihood of long-term pain relief in this historical cohort. The choice of management should consider the mechanism of recurrence, the benefits and risks of each option and the severity of the pain. Regardless of the management strategy selected, careful phenotyping of patients before and after surgery is paramount.

Tara Symonds,1 Jason A Randall,1 Deborah L Hoffman,2 Joanna M Zakrzewska,3 William Gehringer,4 John YK Lee5 1Clinical Outcomes Solutions, Clinical Outcome Assessments, Folkestone, UK; 2Biogen Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA; 3Eastman Dental Hospital – University College London Hospitals, Division of Diagnostic, Surgical and Medical Sciences, London, UK; 4Clinical Outcomes Solutions, Tucson, AZ, USA; 5University of Pennsylvania, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA Background and objective: The Penn Facial Pain Scale (Penn-FPS) was originally developed as a supplemental module to the Brief Pain Inventory Pain Interference Index (BPI-PII) in order to fully assess the impact of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) pain on patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The current objective is to create and establish the content validity of a new stand-alone version of the measure, the Penn-FPS-Revised (Penn-FPS-R). Methods: Twenty participants (15 USA and 5 UK) with confirmed TN engaged in concept elicitation and cognitive debriefing interviews. These semi-structured interviews allowed participants to spontaneously describe the ways in which TN impacts on HRQoL and report on the extent to which the Penn-FPS and BPI-PII measure concepts are most relevant to them. Participants were also asked to report on the suitability of the instructions, recall period, and response options. Results: Concept elicitation revealed nine themes involving TN restrictions on daily activities and HRQoL, including: “talking,” “self-care,” “eating,” “eating hard foods/chewing foods,” “daily activities,” “activities with temperature change,” “touching,” “mood,” and “relationships.” Cognitive debriefing confirmed that all of the Penn-FPS concepts and some of the BPI-PII concepts (“mood,” “general activities,” and “relations with others”) were relevant, although some items required edits to better capture individuals’ experiences. The impact of temperature and/or weather on activities was also identified as an important concept that is not captured by the Penn-FPS or BPI-PII. Participants confirmed the acceptability of recall period, instructions, and response options. Results from the interviews were applied to create the Penn-FPS-R, a new brief outcome measure that assesses the impacts of TN most important to patients. Conclusion: The Penn-FPS-R is a new 12-item HRQoL outcome measure with content validity that can be used to assess and monitor the impact of TN treatment interventions in both clinical practice and research. Keywords: content validity, concept elicitation, cognitive debriefing, Penn Facial Pain Scale, trigeminal neuralgia, PRO development, patient reported outcome

Background and Objective Patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and multiple sclerosis (MS) are often treated with medications or a surgical procedure. However, there is little evidence that such treatments result in 50% pain reduction and improvement in quality of life. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the clinical effectiveness of treatments in patients with MS and trigeminal neuralgia. Methods We searched Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Collaboration database from inception until October 2016. Two authors independently selected studies for inclusions, data extraction, and bias assessment. Results All studies were of low quality using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation) system. For medical management, 10 studies were included, of which one was a randomized controlled trial. Two studies were on the use of misopropol, unique to patients with MS. For surgical therapy, 26 studies with at least 10 patients and a minimum of 2 years follow-up were included. All types of surgical procedures are reported and the results are poorer for TN with MS, with 50% having a recurrence by 2 years. The main complication was sensory loss. Many patients had to undergo further procedures to become pain free and there were no agreed prognostic factors. Conclusions There was insufficient evidence to support any 1 medical therapy and so earlier surgery may be preferable. A patient with TN and MS has therefore to make a decision based on low-level evidence, beginning with standard drug therapy and then choosing a surgical procedure.

Background: Side effects of anti‐epileptic drugs (AEDs) have not been adequately documented in trigeminal neuralgia and its variants. The aim of this observational cross‐sectional study was to compare the A‐B Neuropsychological Assessment Schedule (ABNAS), which measures cognitive side effects to the Adverse Events Profile (AEP), which looks at a broader range of side effects, and to investigate drug/dosage relationships with questionnaire scores to help determine a point at which a drug change would be indicated. / Methods: One hundred five patients were recruited from a facial pain clinic, over a 10‐month period. Self‐complete questionnaire scores were compared between patients using different AEDs. / Results: A‐B Neuropsychological Assessment Schedule score correlated well with AEP indicating that cognitive side effects were a significant burden. Toxic range on the ABNAS was estimated to occur when scores were >43/72 (95% CI: 37.4‐48.6). Polytherapy is weakly associated with the higher scores. Oxcarbazepine dosage was found to linearly correlate with AEP and ABNAS scores, better than carbamazepine dosage. Memory alteration was least common with lamotrigine and oxcarbazepine, and there was less association between fatigues with oxcarbazepine/pregabalin. / Conclusion: Anti‐epileptic drugs have significant side effects. The ABNAS questionnaire is a useful tool along with the AEP to recognize and monitor AEDs’ side effects and to help to adjust medications to optimal dosage.

Background Microvascular decompression (MVD) and partial sensory rhizotomy (PSR) provide longstanding pain relief in trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Given their invasiveness, complications can result from such posterior fossa procedures, but the impact of these procedures and their complications on patient-reported outcome measures (PROM), such as quality of life and distress, are not well established. Method Five years after surgery, patients who underwent first MVD or PSR for TN at one institution, between 1982 and 2002, were sent a self-completion assessment set containing a range of PROMs: the Short Form-12 (SF-12) questionnaire to assess quality of life, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) to assess distress, and a questionnaire containing questions about postoperative complications, their severity and impact on quality of life. These findings and demographic data were compared between MVD and PSR. Results One hundred and eighty-one of 245 (73.9%) patients after first MVD and 49 of 60 (81.7%) after PSR responded, and were included in analyses. The mean SF-12 scores of patients after MVD and PSR at five-year follow-up were significantly lower than English age-matched norms. Though there were no differences in SF-12 physical or mental component scores between the two procedures, patients after PSR were more likely to have case-level anxiety (RR = 3.3; 95% CI, 1.1–10.5; p = 0.03), had more postoperative complications, and of greater severity, including pain (RR = 2.52; 95% CI, 1.5–4.1; p

Premise Facial pain refers to a heterogeneous group of clinically and etiologically different conditions with the common clinical feature of pain in the facial area. Among these conditions, trigeminal neuralgia (TN), persistent idiopathic facial pain, temporomandibular joint pain, and trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TAC) are the most well described conditions. Conclusion TN has been known for centuries, and is recognised by its characteristic and almost pathognomonic clinical features. The other facial pain conditions are less well defined, and over the years there has been confusion about their classification.

Background Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) can have a significant impact on wellbeing and quality of life. Limited data exist for treatments that improve TN pain acutely, within 24 h of administration. This systematic review aims to identify effective treatments that acutely relieve TN exacerbations. Methods We searched Medline and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) for relevant English language publications. The reference list for all articles was searched for other relevant publications. All studies that satisfied the following PICO criteria were included: (i) Population—adults with acute exacerbation of primary TN symptoms; (ii) Intervention—any medication or intervention with the primary goal of pain relief within 24 h; (iii) Comparator—usual medical care, placebo, sham or active treatment; (iv) Outcome—more than 50% reduction in pain intensity within 24 h of administration. Results Of 431 studies, 17 studies were identified that reported immediate results of acute treatment in TN. The evidence suggests that the following interventions may be beneficial: local anaesthetic, mainly lidocaine (ophthalmic, nasal or oral mucosa, trigger point injection, i.v. infusion, nerve block); anticonvulsant, phenytoin or fosphenytoin (i.v. infusion); serotonin agonist, sumatriptan (s.c. injection, nasal). Other referenced interventions with very limited evidence include N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist (magnesium sulphate infusion) and botulinum toxin (trigger point injection). Conclusions Several treatment options exist that may provide fast and safe relief of TN. Future studies should report on outcomes within 24 h to improve knowledge of the acute analgesic TN treatments.

Aims To investigate how photographic images (Pain Cards) co-created by an artist and chronic pain patients could be used in groups of patients with burning mouth syndrome to facilitate characterization of their pain and its impact on quality of life. Methods Ten groups of patients with burning mouth syndrome attending a 2.5-hour information session in a facial pain unit were presented with 54 Pain Cards put in a random order on a table. They were asked to pick one card that described the quality of their pain and one that reflected the impact of the pain on their lives. The total number of patients was 119 (divided into groups of 8 to 14) over a 4-year period. Results A total of 114 patients chose a Pain Card; 24 cards (chosen a total of 73 times) were used to phenotype the pain and 39 cards (chosen a total of 127 times) were used to describe the impact of the pain. The most frequently used Pain Card (13 times) was a pair of lips closed with a clothes peg, whereas the other most frequently selected images were black and white. The choice of Pain Card and words used to explain the choice implied a neuropathic type of pain. Themes that were common included those of isolation, loss of confidence, low mood, and decrease in activities and socialization. Conclusion The Pain Cards chosen and the main themes support those found in the literature on BMS. The Pain Cards may help pain sufferers gain more empathy and support due to improved understanding by their health care providers.

Persistent or chronic idiopathic facial pain, often called atypical facial pain, is often used as a diagnosis of exclusion. It is chronic pain in a nonanatomically distributed area of the face and mouth that can be episodic or continuous and described as a nagging dull pain that at times is severe. It is associated with other chronic pain conditions, psychological abnormalities, and significant life events. Investigations are all normal and early treatment can prevent chronicity. A multidisciplinary biopsychosocial approach with the use of antidepressants and cognitive behavior therapy provides the best chance of pain relief and improved quality of life.

Key points: 1. There is no high quality comparative effectiveness research for surgery versus pharmacological management or for different surgical techniques. 2. High quality evidence (randomised controlled trials) is required to inform routine decision making for patients with TN and their consultants. 3. The design and conduct of surgery trials using the standard design has numerous challenges (patient preferences, clinician preferences, clinically meaningful outcome measures, learning curves for surgical techniques, irreversibility of results). 4. The ‘cohort multiple RCT’ design is an innovative alternative design that provides both long term observational data and a facility for quick and efficient conduct of multiple trials. Unlike standard trials, patient information and consent replicate that found in routine healthcare wherever possible. 5. Embedding multiple trials within a cohort of patients with a diagnosis of TN would enable the quick and efficient identification and recruitment of patients to trials of a variety of interventions, and help provide the information that patients and clinicians require.

AIM: To assess the quality of referral letters to a facial pain service and highlight the key requirements of such letters. METHOD: The source of all referral letters to the service for five years was established. For one year the information provided in 94 referrals was assessed. Using a predetermined checklist of essential information the referral letters were compared to these set criteria. RESULTS: The service received 7,001 referrals and, on average, general dental practitioners (GDPs) referred 303 more patients per year than general medical practitioners (GMPs). Seventy-one percent of all referrals were from primary care practitioners, the rest were from specialists. Over 70% of GMP and 52% of GDP letters included a past medical history, with GMPs more likely to suggest a possible diagnosis and include previous secondary care referrals. The mean score for GMP referrals compared to the standard proforma (maximum of 12) was 5.6 and for GDP referrals 5.0. A relevant drug history was included by 75.6% GMP compared to 38.7% of GDPs. GMPs were more likely to include any relevant mental health history. CONCLUSIONS: The overall quality of referral letters is low which makes it difficult for the specialists to provide robust treatment plans.

BACKGROUND: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is an extremely painful condition, which can be difficult to diagnose and treat. In Europe, TN-patients are managed by many different specialities. Therefore, there is a great need for comprehensive European guidelines for management of TN. The European Academy of Neurology asked an expert panel to develop recommendations for a series of questions that are essential for daily clinical management of patients with TN.METHODS: We performed a systematic review of the literature and developed recommendations based on GRADE, where feasible, if not a good practice statement was given.RESULTS: We recommend the use of the most recent classification system, which diagnoses TN as primary TN, either classical or idiopathic depending on the degree of neurovascular contact, or as secondary TN caused by pathology other than neurovascular contact. An MRI, using a combination of three high-resolution sequences, should be performed as part of work up in TN patients, because no clinical characteristics can exclude secondary TN. If MRI is not possible, trigeminal reflexes can be used. Neurovascular contact plays an important role in primary TN, but demonstration of a neurovascular contact should not be used to confirm the diagnosis of TN. Rather, it may help to decide if and when a patient should be referred for microvascular decompression. In acute exacerbations of pain, intravenous infusion of fosphenytoin or lidocaine can be used. For long-term treatment we recommend carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine as drugs of first choice. Lamotrigine, gabapentin, botolinum toxin type A, pregabalin, baclofen and phenytoin may be used either alone or as add-on therapy. We recommend that patients should be offered surgery if pain is not sufficiently controlled medically or if medical treatment is poorly tolerated. Microvascular decompression is recommended as first-line surgery in patients with classical TN. No recommendation can be given for choice between any neuroablative treatments or between them and microvascular decompression in patients with idiopathic TN. Neuroablative treatments should be the preferred choice if MRI does not demonstrate any neurovascular contact. Treatment for patients with secondary TN should in general follow the same principles as for primary TN. In addition to medical and surgical management, we recommend that patients are offered psychological and nursing support.CONCLUSIONS: Compared with previous TN guidelines, there are important changes regarding diagnosis and imaging. These allow better characterization of patients and help in decision making regarding the planning of medical and surgical management. Recommendations on pharmacological and surgical management have been updated. There is a great need for future research on all aspects of TN, including pathophysiology and management. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Objectives The commonest secondary cause for trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is multiple sclerosis (MS) and little is known about this group of patients in terms of their presentation and treatments. We compared patients with TN and MS (pwTNMS) with a cohort of patients with primary TN, who had been referred to the same specialist unit, both in terms of characteristics and impact on quality of life at the time of their first assessment. Methods Using a prospective patient database we extracted key clinical data and results from psychometrically tested questionnaires of 26 pwTNMS and compared them to an age and gender-matched set of 68 patients with primary TN. Results Our findings suggest that pwTNMS exhibit a more severe clinical phenotype than primary TN. Prior to referral, pwTNMS are more likely to have used more healthcare services and undergone more neurosurgical interventions. Strikingly, pwTNMS exhibit reduced lengths and duration of remission periods and fewer identifiable triggers. Furthermore, pwTNMS report significant impact on quality of life comparable to those in primary TN, scoring highly in measures of anxiety, depression, and catastrophizing, but also report greater sleep disturbance, and overall interference in activities of daily living. Conclusions pwTNMS have a more intractable TN, one which may necessitate a more complex approach to treatment, earlier referral to secondary care and an extensive assessment of mental health. Quality of life in pwTNMS is severely affected by both their MS and their TN, suggesting management should occur in specialist centres with access to a multidisciplinary team.

Background: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a painful disorder characterized by sudden electric shock–like pain. It is a rare condition for which multiple treatments are available, including medical and surgical. The best treatment option is yet to be defined, and this is related to the lack of definition in the treatment outcomes and outcome measures. The aim of this systematic review was to summarize all the outcomes and outcomes measures that have been published to date and highlight variability in their use. Methods: We have conducted a literature search using a wide range of databases (1946–2019 for medical and 2008–2019 for surgical treatment), for all intervention studies in TN. Four hundred and sixty-seven studies were selected for data extraction on TN classification, data collection method, intervention, and treatment outcomes mapped to the Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials (IMMPACT guidelines). Results: Most studies collected data on pain (n = 459) and side effects (n = 386) domains; however, very few collected data on the impact of treatment on physical (n = 46) and emotional functioning (n = 17) and on patient satisfaction (n = 35). There was high variability on outcome measures used for pain relief (n = 10), pain intensity (n = 9), and frequency of pain episodes (n = 3). Conclusions: A clear definition of what are the important outcomes for patients with TN is essential. The choice of standardized outcome measures allowing for consistent reporting in TN treatment will allow for comparison of studies and facilitate treatment choice for patients and clinicians thus, improving health outcomes and reducing health care cost. Key words: Outcome measures, Systematic review, Treatment outcomes, Trigeminal neuralgia

The management of orofacial pain is considered to be within the remit of oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS). In this study we aimed to provide an overview of the healthcare "journey" of a group of patients referred to a specialist unit with "complex" non-temporomandibular orofacial pain. We retrospectively reviewed all those who were referred over a six-month period and followed for up to three years. A total of 133 were included, 69% were female, and the mean (SD) duration of symptoms before assessment was 66.4 (88.8) months. Patients were treated for seven different conditions by a mean (SD) of 2.6 (1.2) specialties, and 3.2 (2.5) medications had been tried before assessment at the unit. A mean (SD) of 3.9 (3.3) appointments were attended over the three years, and 80% of patients were prescribed at least one medication. Patients were under the care of the unit for a mean (SD) of 11.9 (14.0) months, and 38% were still being seen at three years. Those with trigeminal neuralgia were most likely to remain in care at three years (p=

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a rare orofacial disorder characterized by severe unilateral paroxysmal pain in the region of the fifth cranial nerve. Clinical guidelines recommend carbamazepine (only US Food and Drug Administration–approved drug for TN) and oxcarbazepine as first-line therapies. We utilized the US Truven Health MarketScan® database to examine treatment patterns among patients with TN. Included patients were aged ≥18 years, newly diagnosed with TN (≥2 TN diagnoses ≥14 days apart; no diagnosis in the prior year), continuously enrolled 1 year pre-index, with ≥3 years’ follow-up post-index. We assessed utilization of selected pharmacotherapies (carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, pregabalin, gabapentin, baclofen, duloxetine, topiramate), surgery (posterior fossa, radiosurgery), and injections (peripheral anesthetic injections, Gasserian ganglion procedures) for TN. 3685 patients were included (2425 commercial, 1260 Medicare; 71.8% female; mean[SD] age, 59 [15] years). Overall, 72.5% of patients received at least 1 studied medication, most commonly carbamazepine (51.7%) or gabapentin (48.6%). Sixty-five percent of pharmacologically treated patients had ≥2 treatment episodes; 41.6% had ≥3 (defined by a change in pharmacotherapy [monotherapy/combination] regimen). Overall, 12.3% had surgery and 7.3% injections; 42.9% received opioids for TN. In the 3 years after diagnosis, patients with TN in the United States receive a variety of pharmacological treatments, including opioids, despite carbamazepine being the only approved medication. A notable proportion utilize surgeries/injections. A high proportion of pharmacologically treated patients receive multiple treatment episodes, suggesting frequent therapy switching, perhaps due to suboptimal efficacy/tolerability. Our data suggest a high burden of illness associated with TN. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives License 4.0 (CCBY-NC-ND), where it is permissible to download and share the work provided it is properly cited. The work cannot be changed in any way or used commercially. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0.

Background Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a serious health problem, causing brief, recurrent episodes of stabbing or burning facial pain, which patients describe as feeling like an electric shock. The consequences of living with the condition are severe. There is currently no cure for TN and management of the condition can be complex, often delayed by misdiagnosis. Patients’ qualitative experiential accounts of TN have not been reported in the literature. Capturing subjective experiences can be used to inform the impact of the condition on quality of life and may contribute to a better understanding of current clinical practice with the aim of improving patient care. Methods Participants with TN (n = 16; 11 female), including those who have and have not undergone surgical intervention(s), took part in one of four focus groups. We conducted a thematic analysis within an essentialist framework using transcripts. Results The impact of TN and treatment on the lives of participants emerged as four predominant themes: (1) diagnosis and support with TN, (2) living in fear of TN pain, (3) isolation and social withdrawal, and (4) medication burden and looking for a cure. Each theme is discussed and illustrated with extracts from the transcripts. Conclusions Key issues to address in the management of patients with TN include continued delays in diagnosis, persistent side effects from medication, and a lack of psychological support. Developing strategies to enhance the management of patients with TN, informed by a biopsychosocial approach and multidisciplinary team working, is essential to enhancing the provision of current care.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to describe recruitment challenges encountered during a phase IIa study of vixotrigine, a state and use-dependent Nav1.7 channel blocker, in individuals with trigeminal neuralgia.METHODS: This was an international, multicenter, placebo-controlled, randomized withdrawal study that included a 7-day run-in period, a 21-day open-label phase, and a 28-day double-blind phase in which patients (planned n = 30) were randomized to vixotrigine or placebo. Before recruitment, all antiepileptic drugs had to be stopped, except for gabapentin or pregabalin. After the trial, patients returned to their original medications. Patient recruitment was expanded beyond the original five planned (core) centers in order to meet target enrollment (total recruiting sites N = 25). Core sites contributed data related to patient identification for study participation (prescreening data). Data related to screening failures and study withdrawal were also analyzed using descriptive statistics.RESULTS: Approximately half (322/636; 50.6%) of the patients who were prescreened at core sites were considered eligible for the study and 56/322 (17.4%) were screened. Of those considered eligible, 26/322 (8.1%) enrolled in the study and 6/322 (1.9%) completed the study. In total, 125 patients were screened across all study sites and 67/125 (53.6%) were enrolled. At prescreening, reasons for noneligibility varied by site and were most commonly diagnosis change (78/314; 24.8%), age > 80 years (75/314; 23.9%), language/distance/mobility (61/314; 19.4%), and noncardiac medical problems (53/314; 16.9%). At screening, frequently cited reasons for noneligibility included failure based on electrocardiogram, insufficient pain, and diagnosis change.CONCLUSIONS: Factors contributing to recruitment challenges encountered in this study included diagnosis changes, anxiety over treatment changes, and issues relating to distance, language, and mobility. Wherever possible, future studies should be designed to address these challenges.TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01540630 . EudraCT, 2010-023963-16. 07 Aug 2015.

Communication and expression of pain can be challenging for patients experiencing chronic pain. However, an open dialogue and expression of pain during consultations with doctors is beneficial to both the clinician and the patient. The authors of this article implemented the use of a series of visual representations of pain, previously co-created by the first author (an artist) and individuals experiencing chronic pain, during chronic pain consultations at their facility in London, United Kingdom. Both clinicians and patients were asked to comment on their satisfaction with the consultation, and these results were compared with those of a group of patients at the clinic who did not view the images., BACKGROUND: Visual images may facilitate the communication of pain during consultations. OBJECTIVES: To assess whether photographic images of pain enrich the content and/or process of pain consultation by comparing patients’ and clinicians’ ratings of the consultation experience. METHODS: Photographic images of pain previously co-created by patients with a photographer were provided to new patients attending pain clinic consultations. Seventeen patients selected and used images that best expressed their pain and were compared with 21 patients who were not shown images. Ten clinicians conducted assessments in each condition. After consultation, patients and clinicians completed ratings of aspects of communication and, when images were used, how they influenced the consultation. RESULTS: The majority of both patients and clinicians reported that images enhanced the consultation. Ratings of communication were generally high, with no differences between those with and without images (with the exception of confidence in treatment plan, which was rated more highly in the image group). However, patients’ and clinicians’ ratings of communication were inversely related only in consultations with images. Methodological shortcomings may underlie the present findings of no difference. It is also possible that using images raised patients’ and clinicians’ expectations and encouraged emotional disclosure, in response to which clinicians were dissatisfied with their performance. CONCLUSIONS: Using images in clinical encounters did not have a negative impact on the consultation, nor did it improve communication or satisfaction. These findings will inform future analysis of behaviour in the video-recorded consultations.

Pain is common and difficult to communicate or reduce into the verbal or numerical scales commonly used in clinical practice. This chapter explores the specificities of the photographic medium demonstrating that visual images (in particular photographs) can be alternative vehicles for eliciting language and narrative capable of expanding and improving communication and clinician-patient interaction within medical pain consultations. The chapter focuses on a fine art/medical collaborative project, face2face, at a leading London teaching Hospital, which co-created images of pain with pain sufferers and piloted a selection of these in the clinics of ten experts. Giving examples of images from the project as patients progressed through their management, we report early research findings suggesting that the verbal language is enriched and the non-verbal interaction impacted on.

A variety of treatment outcomes in chronic pain are influenced by patient–clinician rapport. Patients often report finding it difficult to explain their pain, and this potential obstacle to mutual understanding may impede patient–clinician rapport. Previous research has argued that the communication of both patients and clinicians is facilitated by the use of pain-related images in pain assessments. This study investigated whether introducing pain-related images into pain assessments would strengthen various components of patient–clinician rapport, including relative levels of affiliation and dominance, and interpersonal coordination between patient and clinician behaviour. Videos of 35 pain assessments in which pain images were present or absent were used to code behavioural displays of patient and clinician rapport at fixed intervals across the course of the assessment. Mixed modelling was used to examine patterns of patient and clinician affiliation and dominance with consultation type (Image vs Control) as a moderator. When pain images were present, clinicians showed more affiliation behaviour over the course of the consultation and there was greater correspondence between the affiliation behaviour of patient and clinician. However, relative levels of patient and clinician dominance were unaffected by the presence of pain images in consultations. Additional analyses revealed that clinicians responded directly to patients’ use of pain images with displays of affiliation. Based on the results of this study, we recommend further investigation into the utility and feasibility of incorporating pain images into pain assessments to enhance patient–clinician communication.

Patients with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (TN) were categorised into 3 subtypes (n = 225). Group 1 (n = 155, 68.9%) had TN without concomitant pain, group 2 (n = 32, 14.2%) had TN with intermittent concomitant pain, and group 3 (n = 39, 16.9%) had TN with autonomic symptoms. We tested 2 hypotheses: (1) that different pain profiles would be associated with the different groups; (2) that the severe pain associated with TN would impact negatively on activities of daily living and thereby result in disability as defined by the World Health Organisation. A different pain profile was found across the groups. We obtained unequivocal evidence that TN causes disability with up to 45% of patients being absent from usual daily activities 15 days or more in the past 6 months. On the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, 35.7% patients had mild-to-severe depression and over 50% were anxious. The Pain Catastrophizing Scale showed that 78% of patients had considerable negative thoughts with scores >20 and a mean score of 36.4. Prior to referral, only 54% had been prescribed carbamazepine while opioids had been prescribed in 14.6% of the patients. Prior to referral, over 80% had already been to 1 specialist centre which had not provided appropriate management. Patients with TN report varied characteristics but all result in some degree of psychosocial disability especially before adequate therapy is attained.

Summary Background Current standard of care for trigeminal neuralgia is treatment with the sodium channel blockers carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine, which although effective are associated with poor tolerability and the need for titration. BIIB074, a Nav1.7-selective, state-dependent sodium-channel blocker, can be administered at therapeutic doses without titration, and has shown good tolerability in healthy individuals in phase 1 studies. We therefore assessed the safety and efficacy of BIIB074 in patients with trigeminal neuralgia in a phase 2a study. Methods We did a double-blind, multicentre, placebo-controlled, randomised withdrawal phase 2a trial in 25 secondary care centres in Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK. After a 7-day run-in phase, eligible patients aged 18–80 years with confirmed trigeminal neuralgia received open-label, BIIB074 150 mg three times per day, orally, for 21 days. Patients who met at least one response criteria were then randomly assigned (1:1) to BIIB074 or placebo for up to 28 days in a double-blind phase. We used an interactive web response system to assign patients with a computer-generated schedule, with stratification (presence or absence of existing pain medication). Patients, clinicians, and assessors were masked to treatment allocation. The primary endpoint was the difference between groups in the number of patients classified as treatment failure during the double blind phase assessed in the modified intention-to-treat population. We assessed safety in all patients who received one or more doses of BIIB074. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01540630) and EudraCT (2010-023963-16). Findings The first patient was enrolled on April 23, 2012, and the last patient completed the study on February 26, 2014. We enrolled 67 patients into the open-label phase; 44 completed open-label treatment, and 29 were randomly assigned to double-blind treatment (15 to BIIB074 and 14 to placebo). During the double-blind phase, five (33%) patients assigned to BIIB074 versus nine (64%) assigned to placebo were classified as treatment failures (p=0·0974). BIIB074 was well tolerated, with similar adverse events in the double-blind phase to placebo. Headache was the most common adverse event with BIIB074 in the open-label phase (in 13 [19%] of 67 patients), followed by dizziness (in six [9%] patients). In the double-blind phase, headache, pyrexia, nasopharyngitis, sleep disorder, and tremor were the most frequent adverse events in patients assigned to BIIB074 (in one [7%] of 15 patients for each event), and headache, dizziness, diarrhoea, and vomiting were the most frequent adverse events in patients assigned to placebo (in one [7%] of 14 patients for each event). No severe or serious adverse events were reported in the BIIB074 group during the double-blind phase. One patient assigned to placebo reported intestinal adhesions with obstruction as a severe and serious adverse event, which was considered as unrelated to study medication. Interpretation The primary endpoint of treatment failure was not significantly lower in the BIIB074 group than in the placebo group. However, our findings provide a basis for continued investigation of BIIB074 in patients with trigeminal neuralgia in future clinical trials. Funding Convergence Pharmaceuticals.

Aims: To explore patients’ understanding of their orofacial pain, as this is an under-researched area despite emerging as a common aim of consultation. Methods: Twelve people with chronic orofacial pain were interviewed shortly before their first consultation at a specialist facial pain clinic about their understanding of their pain, and they completed self-report measures of distress and pain interference. A day after the consultation, they wrote a short letter about how they now understood their pain and were then interviewed by phone. All accounts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: Four themes emerged across preconsultation and postconsultation data: the need for information to counteract helplessness; worry as part of making sense of pain; validation of the pain experience (all predominant preconsultation); and the importance of trust (reflecting changes in understanding since consultation). Most patients changed their understanding of pain and resolved their worries to some extent, and they reported reduced distress and less interference. Conclusion: Patients’ fears and beliefs about chronic orofacial pain are dominated by worrying and searching for meaning before consultation. Information about their chronic pain condition counters feelings of helplessness and supports sense-making around pain when explanations are clear, are delivered sensitively from a trusted source, and take into account the patient’s existing health beliefs; this promotes self-management. These findings underline the important functions of specialist consultation in achieving a shared accurate understanding of pain and options for treatment. J Oral Facial Pain Headache 2014;28:223–232. doi: 10.11607/ofph.1184

BackgroundBurning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a term used for oral mucosal pain (burning pain or discomfort in the tongue, lips or entire oral cavity) without identifiable cause. General population prevalence varies from 0.1% to 3.9%. Many BMS patients indicate anxiety, depression, personality disorders and impaired quality of life (QoL). This review updates the previous versions published in 2000 and 2005.ObjectivesTo determine the effectiveness and safety of any intervention versus placebo for symptom relief and changes in QoL, taste, and feeling of dryness in people with BMS.Search methodsCochrane Oral Health's Information Specialist searched the following databases: Cochrane Oral Health's Trials Register (to 31 December 2015), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2015, Issue 11) in the Cochrane Library (searched 31 December 2015), MEDLINE Ovid (1946 to 31 December 2015), and Embase Ovid (1980 to 31 December 2015). We searched ClinicalTrials.gov and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform for ongoing trials. We placed no restrictions on the language or date of publication when searching the electronic databasesSelection criteriaRandomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing any treatment against placebo in people with BMS. The primary outcomes were symptom relief (pain/burning) and change in QoL. Secondary outcomes included change in taste, feeling of dryness, and adverse effects.Data collection and analysisWe used standard methodological procedures expected by Cochrane. Outcome data were analysed as short-term (up to three months) or long-term (three to six months).Main resultsWe included 23 RCTs (1121 analysed participants; 83% female). Interventions were categorised as: antidepressants and antipsychotics, anticonvulsants, benzodiazepines, cholinergics, dietary supplements, electromagnetic radiation, physical barriers, psychological therapies, and topical treatments.Only one RCT was assessed at low risk of bias overall, four RCTs' risk of bias was unclear, and 18 studies were at high risk of bias. Overall quality of the evidence for effectiveness was very low for all interventions and all outcomes.Twenty-one RCTs assessed short-term symptom relief. There is very low-quality evidence of benefit from electromagnetic radiation (one RCT, 58 participants), topical benzodiazepines (two RCTs, 111 participants), physical barriers (one RCT, 50 participants), and anticonvulsants (one RCT, 100 participants). We found insufficient/contradictory evidence regarding the effectiveness of antidepressants, cholinergics, systemic benzodiazepines, dietary supplements or topical treatments. No RCT assessing psychological therapies evaluated short-term symptom relief.Four studies assessed long-term symptom relief. There is very low-quality evidence of a benefit from psychological therapies (one RCT, 30 participants), capsaicin oral rinse (topical treatment) (one RCT, 18 participants), and topical benzodiazepines (one RCT, 66 participants). We found no evidence of a difference for dietary supplements or lactoperoxidase oral rinse. No studies assessing antidepressants, anticonvulsants, cholinergics, electromagnetic radiation or physical barriers evaluated long-term symptom relief.Short-term change in QoL was assessed by seven studies (none long-term).The quality of evidence was very low. A benefit was found for electromagnetic radiation (one RCT, 58 participants), however findings were inconclusive for antidepressants, benzodiazepines, dietary supplements and physical barriers.Secondary outcomes (change in taste and feeling of dryness) were only assessed short-term, and the findings for both were also inconclusive.With regard to adverse effects, there is very low-quality evidence that antidepressants increase dizziness and drowsiness (one RCT, 37 participants), and that alpha lipoic acid increased headache (two RCTs, 118 participants) and gastrointestinal complaints (3 RCTs, 138 participants). We found insufficient/contradictory evidence regarding adverse events for anticonvulsants or benzodiazepines. Adverse events were poorly reported or unreported for cholinergics, electromagnetic radiation, and psychological therapies. No adverse events occurred from physical barriers or topical therapy use.Authors' conclusionsGiven BMS' potentially disabling nature, the need to identify effective modes of treatment for sufferers is vital. Due to the limited number of clinical trials at low risk of bias, there is insufficient evidence to support or refute the use of any interventions in managing BMS. Further clinical trials, with improved methodology and standardised outcome sets are required in order to establish which treatments are effective. Future studies are encouraged to assess the role of treatments used in other neuropathic pain conditions and psychological therapies in the treatment of BMS.

TN is a relatively rare condition defined as “a sudden unilateral severe, brief, stabbing, recurrent pain in the distribution of one or more branches of the fifth cranial nerve” IASP [1].

Aim: To explore the diagnosis, treatment and referral patterns of chronic oro-facial pain patients by generalist primary care dentists (GDPs) in the UK. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a non-stratified random sample of 500 GDPs who were selected from the General Dental Council register. A self-complete postal questionnaire with four hypothetical clinical case scenarios describing sub-types of chronic oro-facial pain (COFP) was used to investigate diagnosis, treatment and referral options of GDPs. Results: Two hundred and twenty (44%) GDPs responded. The majority correctly diagnosed temporomandibular disorder (TMD; 88%) and burning mouth syndrome (BMS; 92%). There was more variation in the diagnosis of the other cases related to persistent oro-facial pain. For TMD there was a clear preference for treatment with occlusal splint therapy, and referral to a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) specialist. The BMS scenario showed drug therapy and referral to an oral medicine specialist to be most popular. The chronic oro-facial pain cases had greater variation in management and choice of psychotherapy was related to duration of pain symptoms. Conclusions: The greater variation in responses to scenarios based on patients with chronic oro-facial pain may reflect the difficulty clinicians face in diagnosing and treating this condition. Management appears to follow a biomedical model and most clinicians chose to refer patients for treatment. There are few specialist services to cater for such referrals, indicating a need to train primary care practitioners in management of chronic COFP, along with the establishment of evidence-based guidelines.

We propose a new taxonomy model based on ontological principles for disorders that manifest themselves through the symptom of persistent orofacial pain and are commonly seen in clinical practice and difficult to manage. Consensus meeting of eight experts from various geographic areas representing different perspectives (orofacial pain, headache, oral medicine and ontology) as an initial step towards improving the taxonomy. Ontological principles were introduced, reviewed and applied during the consensus building process. Diagnostic criteria for persistent dento-alveolar pain disorder (PDAP) were formulated as an example to be used to model the taxonomical structure of all orofacial pain conditions. These criteria have the advantage of being (i) anatomically defined, (ii) in accordance with other classification systems for the provision of clinical care, (iii) descriptive and succinct, (iv) easy to adapt for applications in varying settings, (v) scalable and (vi) transferable for the description of pain disorders in other orofacial regions of interest. Limitations are that the criteria introduce new terminology, do not have widespread acceptance and have yet to be tested. These results were presented to the greater conference membership and were unanimously accepted. Consensus for the diagnostic criteria of PDAP was established within this working group. This is an initial first step towards developing a coherent taxonomy for orofacial pain disorders, which is needed to improve clinical research and care.

Trigeminal neuralgia is defined as sudden, usually unilateral, severe, brief, stabbing recurrent episodes of pain within the distribution of one or more branches of the trigeminal nerve, which has a profound effect on quality of life. The diagnosis is made on history alone, and time needs to be taken to elicit the key features and differentiate from toothache or one of the trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias. Most trigeminal neuralgia is idiopathic, but a small percentage is due to secondary causes—for example, tumours or multiple sclerosis—which can be picked up on CT or MRI. Recently published international guidelines suggest that carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine are the first-line drugs. There is limited evidence for the use of lamotrigine and baclofen. If there is a decrease in efficacy or tolerability of medication, surgery needs to be considered. A neurosurgical opinion should be sought early. There are several ablative, destructive procedures that can be carried out either at the level of the Gasserian ganglion or in the posterior fossa. The only non-destructive procedure is microvascular decompression (MVD). The ablative procedures give a 50% chance of patients being pain free for 4 years, compared with 70% of patients at 10 years after MVD. Ablative procedures result in sensory loss, and MVD carries a 0.2–0.4% risk of mortality with a 2–4% chance of ipsilateral hearing loss. Surgical procedures result in markedly improved quality of life. Patient support groups provide information and support to those in pain and play a crucial role.

The pathophysiology of persistent orofacial myalgia has been the centre of much controversy. In this article we suggest a novel descriptive term; 'persistent orofacial muscle pain' (POMP) and review current evidence that supports the hypothesis that the induction of POMP involves the interplay between a peripheral nociceptive source in muscle, a faulty central nervous system component and decreased coping ability. In this context it is widely accepted that a complex interaction of variable intrinsic and extrinsic factors act to induce POMP and dysfunction.

Aim To explore the knowledge of chronic orofacial pain within general dental practitioners (GDPs) and dental specialists. Methods Following a recent national survey of GDPs and specialists on the diagnosis of facial pain, all those who responded were asked to answer four multiple-choice questions on chronic orofacial pain as part of a continuing professional development exercise. The questions were formulated using a review of the literature and consultation with a facial pain expert and were administered by post. Results Of the 380 subjects who completed the original survey, 212 (56%) returned completed multiple-choice questionnaires. Specialists correctly answered significantly more questions than GDPs ( PConclusions The results suggest that specialists and GDPs may have sufficient knowledge to make an appropriate diagnosis of COFP, but they also highlight the knowledge gaps and perhaps the need for more extensive inclusion of COFP in the dental undergraduate curriculum.

Patients with trigeminal neuralgia, a rare facial neuropathic pain, present to both medical and dental specialists. International guidelines on diagnosis and management of trigeminal neuralgia provide a useful framework for this article.

Aim To ascertain the influence of images depicting different qualities of pain on unselected outpatient pain clinic consultations. Methods A resource of 64 colour images depicting different qualities of pain was given to patients in clinic waiting rooms, which they could take into consultations and use as a focus for discussion with clinicians. A questionnaire enquiring into the value of such images was completed at the end of each consultation separately and anonymously by clinicians and patients. The questionnaires carried identifiers that allowed pairing in the analysis, which was undertaken qualitatively and thematically. Results Forty-four percent (20/45) of Pain Clinics declaring an interest in taking part in the study returned 64/80 (80%) pairs of questionnaires. Eighty-six percent (54) of patients related their pain to at least one image during their consultation and 67% found discussion of the images facilitated dialogue. Eighty two percent of clinicians reported improved communication as a result of the images with 78% reporting degrees of greater understanding of patients' pain. The four main themes identified in analysis of questionnaire data included: a broadening of verbal dialogue; a sense of improved clinician-patient relationship; limitations of setting (time); a variety of practical benefits for future use. The most prominent effect was that the images appeared to encourage discussion of the affective elements of the pain experience. Conclusion The results suggest that introducing a focus of images of pain into unselected pain consultations can facilitate discussion and lead to more fruitful dialogue between patients and clinicians.

The objective of this study was to determine whether levetiracetam (LEV) is an effective drug for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (TN).Ten patients with TN were enrolled in a 10-week, prospective, open-label pilot study. The primary outcome measure was the visual analogue scale on daily pain diary and side effects. Serum levels of LEV were measured to assess correlation between drug levels and pain control.There was a significant tendency towards improvement in pain severity compared with baseline in four patients with higher doses of 4,000 mg/day. The four treatment responders had less pain compared with baseline (50-90% improvement) and three subjects continued the drug after study completion. All patients rated themselves on the global evaluation scale as much improved (n = 2), minimally improved (n = 3), no change (n = 1), minimally worse (n = 2), much worse (n = 1) and very much worse (n = 1). LEV was very well tolerated and there was no difference in side effects between the low and high doses of LEV evaluations.Given its established safety profile, a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of LEV using enhancement enrollment design is needed to confirm these open-labelled findings using a wide variety of outcome measures.

c s m c r t i t g s c p n w i e s n H o ase Review A61-year-old woman presented to her general dentist with a complaint of pain associated with the maxillary left first premolar. The paient described a sharp, lancinating pain that was trigered by stimulation of the tooth in question. She also eported 2 specific episodes in which she experienced evere, shooting electrical shock-like pain followed by a ot sensation in the same area. One of these episodes as triggered by a cool breeze on her face and the other ccurred while washing her face. Examination and radioraphic assessment revealed a periapical osseous lesion esulting in a diagnosis of acute apical periodontitis. onsurgical endodontics was completed with no undue ffects. Approximately 2 months after the endodontic treatent, the patient began to have a recurrence of the aroxysmal sharp, shooting pain with a marked increase n the frequency of these episodes. The pain was trigered by light touch of the left cheek. Each episode asted 1 to 2 seconds; however, she occasionally had 5 to 0 repetitive bursts. Clinical evaluation resulted in a dignosis of trigeminal neuralgia of the left maxillary diviion. Initial treatment included 100 mg carbamazepine id., which was gradually increased to a maximum dose f 600 mg bid. The patient derived modest benefit from he medication; unfortunately, cognitive changes necesitated a reduction in the dose. Gabapentin was introuced in a bedtime dosage regimen of 100 mg. This rovided a marked reduction in pain for approxiately 1 week. A gradual titration of gabapentin to 00 mg tid was efficacious for approximately 1 month. eurosurgical consultation and MRI of the brain reealed no intracranial pathology and confirmed a dignosis of trigeminal neuralgia. Surgical intervention s being considered.

Several issues regarding diagnosis, pharmacological treatment, and surgical treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) are still unsettled. The American Academy of Neurology and the European Federation of Neurological Societies launched a joint Task Force to prepare general guidelines for the management of this condition. After systematic review of the literature the Task Force came to a series of evidence-based recommendations. In patients with TN MRI may be considered to identify patients with structural causes. The presence of trigeminal sensory deficits, bilateral involvement, and abnormal trigeminal reflexes should be considered useful to disclose symptomatic TN, whereas younger age of onset, involvement of the first division, unresponsiveness to treatment and abnormal trigeminal evoked potentials are not useful in distinguishing symptomatic from classic TN. Carbamazepine (stronger evidence) or oxcarbazepine (better tolerability) should be offered as first-line treatment for pain control. For patients with TN refractory to medical therapy early surgical therapy may be considered. Gasserian ganglion percutaneous techniques, gamma knife and microvascular decompression may be considered. Microvascular decompression may be considered over other surgical techniques to provide the longest duration of pain freedom. The role of surgery versus pharmacotherapy in the management of TN in patients with multiple sclerosis remains uncertain.

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is an exemplary condition of neuropathic facial pain. However, formally classifying TN as neuropathic pain based on the grading system of the International Association for the Study of Pain is complicated by the requirement of objective signs confirming an underlying lesion or disease of the somatosensory system. The latest version of the International Classification of Headache Disorders created similar difficulties by abandoning the term symptomatic TN for manifestations caused by major neurologic disease, such as tumors or multiple sclerosis. These diagnostic challenges hinder the triage of TN patients for therapy and clinical trials, and hamper the design of treatment guidelines. In response to these shortcomings, we have developed a classification of TN that aligns with the nosology of other neurologic disorders and neuropathic pain. We propose 3 diagnostic categories. Classical TN requires demonstration of morphologic changes in the trigeminal nerve root from vascular compression. Secondary TN is due to an identifiable underlying neurologic disease. TN of unknown etiology is labeled idiopathic. Diagnostic certainty is graded possible when pain paroxysms occur in the distribution of the trigeminal nerve branches. Triggered paroxysms permit the designation of clinically established TN and probable neuropathic pain. Imaging and neurophysiologic tests that establish the etiology of classical or secondary TN determine definite neuropathic pain.

The evidence base for drug management for these rare conditions is low due to the lack of high-quality randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine have been shown to be highly effective in trigeminal neuralgia and are considered to be the first-line drugs. However, they do have significant side effects and their efficacy diminishes with time. Many other anti-epileptics (AEDs) can be used but their efficacy is not as high and their use often leads to delay in seeking a neurosurgical approach. Patients who have trigeminal neuralgia and multiple sclerosis may benefit from the use of increased doses of baclofen which they are already using. The drugs all need slow escalation to reduce side effects. The same drug regimens are used for glossopharyngeal neuralgia. Post-herpetic neuralgia of the face can be managed along the international guidelines for post herpetic neuralgia. In this area, there are large RCTs although it has been highlighted that the large placebo responses and poor phenotyping may be resulting in better outcomes than those found in clinical practice. The current most effective drugs are gabapentin, pregablin and tricyclic antidepressants. Topical lidocaine 5 % patches may be helpful in those patients who cannot tolerate systemic drugs. Treatments need to be optimised for individual patients and should be discontinued after adequate dosages and duration of use.