Levetiracetam in management of bilateral trigeminal neuralgia due to large glomus tumor case report

Abstract

Background: Trigeminal neuralgia can be classical or idiopathic. While trigeminal neuralgia (TN) due to space-occupying lesions is atypical, such lesions rarely cause severe TN secondary to trigeminal nerve irritation. Mass effect from these lesions has been shown to correlate with symptom burden, due to direct or indirect compressive effects. A tethering effect, provoked by an abnormal root-stretching force, theoretically plays a role in trigeminal nerve hyperexcitability. Case: The likely etiology in this case presentation is a large glomus tumor invading the middle and posterior cranial fossa. Glomus tumors are uncommon benign tumors of the head and neck derived from neural crest cells. Even more strikingly, a large glomus tumor causes bilateral TN due to direct compression on one side and indirect compression on the contralateral side. Conclusion: Although the gold standard in TN management is carbamazepine, other anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) have been used in the treatment of patients unable to take carbamazepine. A few studies suggest levetiracetam alleviates central and neuropathic pain, supporting the hypothesis that it may be effective in management of TN.