Phillip E. Williams, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S. - What is a Radiofrequency Rhizotomy (RF)?
	Robert A. Mericle, M.D. - What is a Radiofrequency Rhizotomy?
	Phillip E. Williams, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S. - Who is a good Radiofrequency candidate?
	Robert A. Mericle, M.D. - Who is an ideal Radfiofrequency candidate?
	Phillip E. Williams, Jr., M.D., F.A.C.S. - Radiofrequency experience
	Robert A. Mericle, M.D. - What can a patient expect after a Radiofrequency?
	Robert A. Mericle, M.D. - What is numbness like?
	Robert A. Mericle, M.D. - If a Radiofrequency fails, then what?

Radiofrequency Rhizotomy

The Radiofrequency rhizotomy is an outpatient procedure that is usually done in the x-ray department or sometimes in the operating room.  It works by creating a heat lesion to destroy the sensory portion of the ganglion where facial pain is felt by the patient.  As a result, numbness occurs in almost all procedures.

This procedure can easily be repeated.  Several times if necessary.

Idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia--radiofrequency rhizotomy of ganglion Gasseri

Monocular blindness as a complication of trigeminal radiofrequency rhizotomy
http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=894638

Percutaneous controlled radiofrequency rhizotomy in the management of patients with trigeminal neuralgia due to multiple sclerosis.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10949444

Percutaneous Stereotactic Rhizotomy for trigeminal neuralgia, glossopharyngeal neuralgia, cluster headache
http://www.mayfieldclinic.com/PE-PSR.htm

Percutaneous controlled radiofrequency trigeminal rhizotomy for the treatment of idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia: 25-year experience with 1, 600 patients.

Percutaneous Stereotactic Radiofrequency Thermal Rhizotomy for the Treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia
http://www.mssm.edu/msjournal/67/page288_299.pdf

A prospective 15-year follow up of 154 consecutive patients with trigeminal neuralgia treated by percutaneous stereotactic radiofrequency thermal rhizotomy.
http://thejns.org/doi/pdf/10.3171/foc.2005.18.5.15

Trigeminal radiofrequency rhizotomy for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia: results and technical modification

Organizations

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