[Trigeminal neuralgia : Modern diagnostic workup and treatment]

The present article gives an update of relevant aspects in the diagnosis and therapy of trigeminal neuralgia from the neurological, neuroradiological and neurosurgical point of view. The diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia is clinical, but high-quality imaging is mandatory to identify secondary causes and a neurovascular contact. New methods such as DTI (diffusion tensor imaging) allow a more differentiated assessment of the consequences of a vascular contact on the trigeminal nerve. Carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine continue to be first choice for the medical treatment, but have been supplemented by additional options such as pregabaline, lamotrigine, and onabotulinumtoxin A. In patients insufficiently responding to medical treatment, there are neurosurgical treatment options giving very good results. The best long-term results have been described for microvascular decompression, but percutaneous and radiosurgical treatments also are good options, especially in patients with an increased surgical risk profile, in secondary trigeminal neuralgia, and in case of recurrence after microvascular decompression.