Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Outcomes in Patients with Trigeminal Neuralgia: An Analysis of Cases from a Tertiary Care Center

Abstract

Objective: To determine the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes in patients with trigeminal neuralgia in a tertiary care setting. Material and Methods: The data of patients diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia over a nine-year period in this tertiary care center from the archives of the Medical Records Department were included. Two observers documented the clinical data and treatment outcomes in a specially designed proforma. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. A comparison of categorical variables was done using the Chi-square/Fisher exact test. A comparison of continuous variables was done using the Mann-Whitney U test. Results: There were 34 males and 24 females with a mean age of onset of neuralgia at 52.02 years. The estimated prevalence of trigeminal neuralgia from this tertiary care center in Karnataka, India, is 0.007%. There was a female dominance regarding the reported symptoms that triggered pain (p=0.031), with talking and chewing being the most common triggers. Primary and classical variants were the most common types. Medical management was the sole treatment of choice for nine participants; surgery was performed for 49 and 14 participants underwent a combination therapy. Conclusion: No single best treatment option has been established for this disorder. Further clinical trials with promising pain management regimens need to be conducted to strengthen the existing evidence for improving the quality of life of these individuals.

Keywords

• Facial Nerve Diseases
• Facial Neuralgia
• Trigeminal Nerve Diseases