ArticleActa neurochirurgica2021
Decompression of the greater occipital nerve improves outcome in patients with chronic headache and neck pain - a retrospective cohort study.
Article in Acta neurochirurgica, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 16 citations in OpenAlex.
- Neuropathic Cranial Pain Phenotypes After Craniotomy: A Large, Single-Center Retrospective Cohort Study.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2026Article
- Approaches to Occipital Neuralgia Treatment: A Systematic Review and Case Examples.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026Article
- Integrative Migraine Therapy: From Current Concepts to Future Directions-A Plastic Surgeon's Perspective.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2025Review
- An anatomical analysis of the occipital nerve complex: an essential tool for the application of occipital nerve blocks.BMC neurology · 2024Article
- Occipital nerve stimulation for cluster headache: lessons to learn from the 'voltage tuners'.The journal of headache and pain · 2024Article
- Novel Ultrasound-Guided Hydrodissection with 5% Dextrose for the Treatment of Occipital Neuralgia Targeting the Greater Occipital Nerve.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Morphological features of the greater occipital nerve and its possible importance for interventional procedures.Journal of anatomy · 2024Article
- A surgical decision aid for occipital neuralgia with literature review and single center case series.Clinical neurology and neurosurgery · 2024Review
- Frontal site surgery for chronic migraine therapy.Acta bio-medica : Atenei Parmensis · 2023Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundCompression of the greater occipital nerve (GON) may contribute to chronic headache, neck pain, and migraine in a subset of patients. We aimed to evaluate whether GON decompression could reduce pain and improve quality of life in patients with occipital neuralgia and chronic headache and neck pain.
methodsIn this retrospective cohort study, selected patients with neck pain and headache referred to a single neurosurgical center were analyzed. Patients (n = 22) with suspected GON neuralgia based on nerve block or clinical criteria were included. All patients presented with occipital pain spreading frontally and to the neck in various degree. Surgical decompression was performed under local anesthesia. Follow-up was made by an assessor not involved in the treatment of the patients, by telephone 2-5 years after the surgical procedure and an interview protocol was used to collect information. The data from the follow-up protocols were then analyzed and reported.
resultsWhen analyzing the follow-up protocols, decreased headache/migraine was reported in 77% and neck pain was reduced in 55% of the patients.
conclusionsDecompression of GON(s) may reduce neck pain and headache in selected patients with persistent headache, neck pain, and clinical signs of GON neuralgia. Based on the limitations of the present retrospective study, the results should be considered with caution.
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