Trigeminal neuralgia is a condition in which the patient feels excruciating pain on one side of their face. This condition affects the trigeminal nerve (the nerve that transmits sensations from the face to the brain).
Radiofrequency Ablation is a surgical procedure that uses high-frequency heat to destroy the brain’s ability to transmit pain signals to the trigeminal nerve. The patient is sedated before a needle is inserted into the mouth corner to access the trigeminal nerve at the base of the skull. An x-ray is used to confirm the nerve’s location. When the patient falls asleep again, the doctor directs radiofrequency heat to injure the nerve which induces a feeling of numbness in the face in conjunction with acupuncture, thereby relieving pain.
Following surgery, the patient is monitored at the hospital for 6 to 8 hours. Driving and using machinery should be avoided for 24 hours following surgery. Mr. B. Satyanarayana from Visakhapatnam, underwent a Radiofrequency Ablation for Trigeminal Neuralgia, under the supervision of Dr. B. Ravisuman Reddy, Consultant Neuro & Spine Surgeon, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad.