Where SUNCT contacts TN: a case report

Short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform headache with conjunctival injection and tearing (SUNCT) and trigeminal neuralgia (TN) are unilateral painful conditions that can share the same triggering factors, autonomic features and the main location, as well as the cyclically recurrent crises. Both these syndromes are associated with a high percentage of findings of vascular malformation touching the trigeminal nerve, suggesting a pathophysiological relationship.

In this paper, we report a new case with the main purpose to shine a light on the pathophysiology of these conditions.

Many authors described a SUNCT case deriving from TN or vice versa, suggesting that these conditions are strongly related. Every case of transformed TN or SUNCT should therefore be reported to gather and compare further information.