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Avoiding abducens nerve palsy during the percutaneous balloon compression procedure
Zinovia Kefalopoulou1, Elli Markaki, Constantine Constantoyannis
1Functional Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Neurosurgery, Medical School of Patras, Patras, Greece.
Aims:
The main purpose of this study is to underline the factors which are likely to increase the risk of a sixth nerve injury after percutaneous balloon compression of the gasserian ganglion.
Methods:
Medical records and intraoperative radiological images of 79 consecutive patients, who underwent percutaneous balloon compression for treating drug-resistant trigeminal neuralgia, were analyzed.
Results:
Post-operatively, transient palsy of the sixth nerve developed in 2 patients. According to their intraoperative radiographs, the side effect resulted from irregular balloon shape and inflation of the balloon towards the sellar floor.
Conclusion:
The anatomic position and the shape of the inflated balloon represent key factors in determining the procedure's benefit or risk of complications.
