Faizo Eyad, Kurdi Maher, Hafiz Badr, Alzahrani Wareef, Alajmi Norah, Althaqafi Bashayer, Gasemaltayeb Raed, Albalawi Afaf, Fallata Ahmad A, Mirza Iman, Najjar Ahmed, Alyousef Mohammed, Alkhotani Alaa, Baeesa Saleh
Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Surgery, Doctor Soliman Fakeeh Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Front Pain Res (Lausanne). 2025 Sep 1;6:1639140. doi: 10.3389/fpain.2025.1639140. eCollection 2025.
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) causes severe facial pain and affects quality of life. Radiofrequency rhizotomy (RFR) is often used when medications fail. This multicenter study assesses pain relief and patient satisfaction following this minimally invasive procedure in affected individuals treated across multiple institutions in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
In this prospective cohort study, 50 patients aged 40-60 with medically refractory TN (V2/V3) underwent percutaneous RFR at 75°C for 60 s under fluoroscopy, followed by dexamethasone injection. Pain (VAS) and patient satisfaction (PGIC) were evaluated at 1 and 6 months post-procedure. Inter-statistical analysis of patients' clinical outcomes using repeated measures ANOVA and Chi-square tests was performed.
The average age of the participants was 50.58 ± 5.67 years. 72% were female. The right side was more commonly affected (62%) than the left (38%). The maxillary branch (V2) was the most frequently involved (76%), followed by the mandibular branch (V3) in 24%. Pain scores significantly decreased from a baseline mean of 8.04 ± 0.78-3.20 ± 1.05 at 1 month and 2.58 ± 1.18 at 6 months (p < 0.001). Patient satisfaction scores also improved significantly, from 5.60 ± 1.20 at baseline to 2.52 ± 1.11 at 1 month and 1.92 ± 0.80 at 6 months (p < 0.001). The most common complication was facial numbness (32%), followed by masticator weakness (14%), dysesthesia (6%), hematoma (2%) and pain recurrence occurred in 6% of cases, defined by either an increase in VAS ≥ 4 or the need for a second intervention during the follow-up window.
Radiofrequency rhizotomy offers effective, well-tolerated pain relief for trigeminal neuralgia with high patient satisfaction. It improves symptom control and outcomes, though further long-term studies are needed to assess sustained benefits and quality-of-life impacts beyond six months.
三叉神经痛（TN）会导致严重的面部疼痛并影响生活质量。当药物治疗无效时，常采用射频神经根切断术（RFR）。这项多中心研究评估了在沙特阿拉伯和巴基斯坦多个机构接受治疗的受影响个体接受这种微创手术后的疼痛缓解情况和患者满意度。
在这项前瞻性队列研究中，50例年龄在40 - 60岁、药物治疗难治性TN（V2/V3）患者在透视引导下接受75°C、60秒的经皮RFR，随后注射地塞米松。在术后1个月和6个月评估疼痛（视觉模拟评分法[VAS]）和患者满意度（患者总体印象变化量表[PGIC]）。使用重复测量方差分析和卡方检验对患者的临床结局进行统计学分析。
参与者的平均年龄为50.58±5.67岁。72%为女性。右侧比左侧更常受累（62%对38%）。上颌支（V2）受累最常见（76%），其次是下颌支（V3），占24%。疼痛评分从基线平均8.04±0.78显著降低至1个月时的3.20±1.05以及6个月时的2.58±1.18（p<0.001）。患者满意度评分也显著改善，从基线时的5.60±1.20提高到1个月时的2.52±1.11以及6个月时的1.92±0.80（p<0.001）。最常见的并发症是面部麻木（32%），其次是咀嚼肌无力（14%）、感觉异常（6%）、血肿（2%），6%的病例出现疼痛复发，定义为VAS增加≥4或在随访期内需要进行二次干预。
射频神经根切断术为三叉神经痛提供了有效且耐受性良好的疼痛缓解，患者满意度高。它改善了症状控制和结局，不过需要进一步的长期研究来评估6个月以后的持续益处和对生活质量的影响。
