Konstantin Slavin, M.D.
Department of Neurosurgery
University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago
912 S. Wood Street, 4th Floor
Chicago, IL 60612
312-996-4842
http://www.uic.edu/depts/mcns/KSlavin.htm
Transcript: Importance of understanding trigeminal neuralgia surgeries available
One of the most important things in the treatment of facial pain is the patient understanding all of the procedures and desire to have this or that particular surgery. Therefore, I think it’s very important for the patients to know that there’s very often there’s a choice of one, two, or even three different surgeries available as an alternative to a standard and first choice type of treatment.
For example, the microvascular decompression although excellent choice for young and healthy patients with typical trigeminal neuralgia seems to have somewhat similar results to other modalities although the risk of complications is very different and usually lower particularly in terms of numbness. The same holds true for destructive procedures -- for glycerol injections, radiofrequency lesioning, balloon compression, or Stereotactic Radiosurgery. And in my opinion, the patient must take an active role in decision making when it comes to surgical selection.
Knowing that there is more than one surgery available to you should make you feel better and then you can ask your surgeon about all of the pros and cons for each approach and finally you will be the ultimate decision maker because in my opinion, you are active participant of that decision making process and therefore the choices must be open for you.
I personally use an algorithm when I approach patients with facial pain and we actually published it recently. That algorithm includes patient’s participation in decision making because each surgery has its own risks and its own set of benefits and as long as you understand them all and decide to choose one procedure over another and your surgeon agrees, then that will be the best solution for your particular treatment.