Recurrent trigeminal neuralgia secondary to Teflon felt

The authors present a case of a 45-year-old man with recurrent trigeminal neuralgia twelve years after microvascular decompression. The patient underwent surgical reexploration of the trigeminal nerve. A piece of hardened Teflon felt was found piercing a hole through the trigeminal nerve. No other compression of the nerve was found. Removal of the Teflon felt resolved the neuralgia. To the authors knowledge this is the first report of recurrent trigeminal neuralgia due to such a mechanism. This case emphasises the need for further improvement of the surgical technique for microvascular decompression of the trigeminal neuralgia.