Nucleus caudalis DREZ lesions for facial pain

The records of the first 18 patients with intractable facial pain treated with nucleus caudalis dorsal root entry zone lesions were reviewed. The pain etiology varied but the largest group was that of post-herpetic neuralgia. Within the immediate postoperative period 90% of patients had satisfactory pain relief in comparison to 58% on subsequent follow-up. Seventy-one percent of those with post-herpetic neuralgia had satisfactory relief on subsequent follow-up. Favorable results tended to correlate with a lesser preoperative sensory deficit, pain restricted to trigeminal distributions and pain of a burning or lancinating/penetrating quality.