ArticleActa neurochirurgica2023
Retrospective comparison of percutaneous balloon compression and radiofrequency-thermocoagulation in the management of trigeminal neuralgia.
Article in Acta neurochirurgica, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 7 citations in OpenAlex.
- Comparison of stereotactic radiosurgery and rhizotomy for trigeminal neuralgia: A systematic review and Meta-Analysis.Neurosurgical review · 2025Pooled it
- Early warning of postoperative recurrence in trigeminal neuralgia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prediction models.Frontiers in neurologyPooled it
- Analysis of Risk Prediction Model for Recurrence of Trigeminal Neuralgia After Percutaneous Balloon Compression.Pain research & management · 2026Article
- Efficacy and Safety of Selective Extracranial Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation and Percutaneous Balloon Compression for V3 Trigeminal Neuralgia.Pain research & management · 2026Article
- Individualized rs-fMRI reveals brain-circuit heterogeneity and predicts early recurrence in trigeminal neuralgia.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- Microvascular Decompression versus Radiofrequency Ablation in Trigeminal Neuralgia of the Maxillary and Mandibular Divisions.Asian journal of neurosurgery · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeTo compare percutaneous balloon compression (PBC) and radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFTC) for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia.
methodsThis was a retrospective single-center analysis of data from 230 patients with trigeminal neuralgia who underwent 202 PBC (46%) and 234 RFTC (54%) from 2002 to 2019. Comparison of demographic data and trigeminal neuralgia characteristics between procedures as well as assessment of 1) initial pain relief by an improved Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) pain intensity scale of I-III; 2) recurrence-free survival of patients with a follow-up of at least 6 months by Kaplan-Meier analysis; 3) risk factors for failed initial pain relief and recurrence-free survival by regression analysis; and 4) complications and adverse events.
resultsInitial pain relief was achieved in 353 (84.2%) procedures and showed no significant difference between PBC (83.7%) and RFTC (84.9%). Patients who suffered from multiple sclerosis (odds ratio 5.34) or had a higher preoperative BNI (odds ratio 2.01) showed a higher risk of not becoming pain free. Recurrence-free survival in 283 procedures was longer for PBC (44%) with 481 days compared to RFTC (56%) with 421 days (p=0.036) but without statistical significance. The only factors that showed a significant influence on longer recurrence-free survival rates were a postoperative BNI ≤ II (P=<0.0001) and a BNI facial numbness score ≥ 3 (p = 0.009). The complication rate of 22.2% as well as zero mortality showed no difference between the two procedures (p=0.162).
conclusionBoth percutaneous interventions led to a comparable initial pain relief and recurrence-free survival with a low and comparable probability of complications. An individualized approach, considering the advantages and disadvantages of each intervention, should guide the decision-making process. Prospective comparative trials are urgently needed.
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