Postural syncope and trigeminal neuralgia relieved by percutaneous rhizotomy with glycerol.

A patient with typical trigeminal neuralgia experienced an episode of sudden loss of consciousness when she tried to sit up. Clinical neurological and neuroradiological studies revealed no known abnormalities. Percutaneous retrogasserian rhizotomy with glycerol with the patient in the prone position relieved the syncope and neuralgia.