An innovative treatment option for trigeminal neuralgia is Gamma Knife® – a non-invasive radiosurgery technique as explained by doctor Mr Ian Sabin.
Gamma Knife® works by targeting the trigeminal nerve and delivering a very high dose of radiation to it with great precision.
The effects of treatment take a few weeks to become apparent, usually with a gradual reduction of pain. The majority of patients will experience significant pain relief but there is a disappointing recurrence rate; after five years 50% of those treated still have good pain relief.
t is the only radiosurgical treatment to have been assessed by the National Institute for Clinical Effectiveness (NICE) who recommended it for certain patients with neuralgia.
Talk to a doctor about treating trigeminal neuralgia with Gamma Knife®.
Please see the expert articles by Dr. Ian Sabin listed below for more information.
About trigeminal neuralgia
Trigeminal neuralgia is a nerve disorder resulting in intense pain in the face similar to an electric shock or stabbing-type sensation. The pain is typically focused on one side of the face although it can rarely affect both sides of the face.
Whilst there is currently no cure there are a variety of treatment options available including drug therapy and surgery. Microvascular decompression and ablative treatments are available, although these are not without side effects and complications.