Management of pain with minimally invasive therapy of facial pain syndromes

Computed tomography (CT)-guided pain therapy was performed in 21 patients with atypical facial pain (n = 12) or trigeminal neuralgia (n = 9). Local injection of corticosteroids in the foramen ovale and the ganglion cervicale medium was performed as well as therapy of peripheral nerve branches if a peripheral lesion was diagnosed. The success rate was 71%, with an average follow-up of 16 and 20 months for both groups after therapy. Image-guided therapy of facial pain syndromes in recurrence is helpful for trigeminal neuralgia and atypical facial pain. In comparison to conventional percutaneous methods, it yields better results for atypical facial pain.