Percutaneous CT-guided trigeminal tractotomy-nucleotomy under general anesthesia for intractable craniofacial pain

When used to treat craniofacial pain, CT-guided trigeminal tractotomy-nucleotomy (TR-NC) is usually performed with local anesthesia. Unfortunately, local anesthesia is insufficient for patients with such severe pain that they cannot tolerate the required head positioning while awake. This study aimed to contextualize previous findings associated with TR-NC performed under general anesthesia. The authors examined clinical and operative factors that could impact postoperative pain outcomes.

This is a retrospective single-institution cohort study of patients who underwent a percutaneous CT-guided TR-NC under general anesthesia at a single institution between 2012 and 2019. Outcome data were analyzed.

Twenty-five patients underwent CT-guided TR-NC procedures under general anesthesia; 23 met the inclusion criteria and underwent a total of 31 procedures. The procedure success rate was 74% (23/31). Approximately 50% and 40% of procedures provided pain relief for at least 6 and 12 months, respectively. The median duration of pain relief was 153 days. Adverse events, all minor and transient, occurred following 6/31 (19%) of procedures. Patients with a body mass index > 25 were less likely to experience a successful TR-NC (p = 0.045). Higher electrode ablation temperatures (p = 0.033) and more medial entry trajectories relative to the midsagittal plane (p = 0.029) characterized successful procedures.

These results suggest that CT-guided TR-NC performed under general anesthesia is safe and effective. Postoperative outcomes were found to be associated with a number of clinical and operative factors. Such associations should be further explored and evaluated in the context of future, better-powered analyses.