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Updated: Jun 2, 2026
Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Gynecologic Cancer
Published on: April 17, 2012
SUNCT syndrome successfully treated by gamma knife radiosurgery: case report
Khaled Effendi1, Samir Jarjoura, David Mathieu
1Service de neurochirurgie, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, 3001 12th avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.
Background:
The SUNCT syndrome (short-unilateral neuralgiform headache with conjunctival injection and tearing) can be very disabling for affected patients and is often refractory to medical management. We report the first case of SUNCT with a successful response to stereotactic radiosurgery without any adverse effect.
Case:
After failing optimal medical treatment, a 82-year old male patient suffering from SUNCT syndrome was treated with Gamma knife radiosurgery. The trigeminal nerve and sphenopalatine ganglion were targeted with a maximum dose of 80 Gy each. The patient had complete pain cessation 2 weeks after the treatment, and remains pain-free with no medication at the latest follow-up 39 months after radiosurgery. He did not have any side effect from the procedure.
Conclusion:
Gamma knife radiosurgery is an option for medically refractory SUNCT patients.
