[Surgical treatment of glossopharyngeal neuralgia]

Glossopharyngeal neuralgia is a rare disease which is characterized by severe paroxysmal pain attacks in the distribution of the 9th cerebral nerve. Although uncommon, the condition has to be considered in the differential diagnosis of various craniofacial neuralgias. The purpose of this study was to describe 3 cases of glossopharyngeal neuralgias and to discuss its diagnosis and therapy. Various surgical therapeutic procedures have been described, including neurotomy of the glossopharyngeal nerve in the frontal neck, thermocoagulation of Andersch's ganglion, and para-pontine neurotomy (Dandy). Because of its good results and low incidence of recurrences, microvascular decompression (Jannetta) is considered the procedure of choice.