Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39422793›Full record

ArticleActa neurochirurgica2024

Diagnostic and treatment pitfalls in glossopharyngeal neuralgia: evidence from a case series.

Helene Hurth, Constantin Roder, Marcos Tatagiba, Florian H Ebner

Abstract readMulticenter Study
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Acta neurochirurgica, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

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2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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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.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Helene HurthDepartment of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany. helene.hurth@med.uni-tuebingen.de.
Constantin RoderDepartment of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
Marcos TatagibaDepartment of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.
Florian H EbnerDepartment of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGlossopharyngeal neuralgia (GN) is a rare pain syndrome often underdiagnosed. This study aimed to assess the challenges in diagnosing GN and identify patients at risk of misdiagnosis.

methodsBetween 2010 and 2019, nine patients underwent microvascular decompression (MVD) of the glossopharyngeal nerve at two tertiary care hospitals. A retrospective analysis examined symptom characteristics, time to correct diagnosis, operative technique, and clinical outcomes. Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) pain scores were assessed before surgery and on follow-up.

resultsSix women and three men, aged 55 ± 14.3 years, with unilateral GN were included. Pain was predominantly in the ear (otalgic type) in four patients (44.4%), the pharynx or base of the tongue (pharyngeal type) in four (44.4%), and mixed in one (11.1%). Five patients reported pain radiating to the mandible, all initially misdiagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and treated for 2.4(± 3.1) years before presenting to our institution. One case resulted in MVD of the trigeminal nerve and subsequent thermocoagulation of the Gasserian ganglion due to persistent pain. The correct diagnosis of GN was established later in patients with otalgic or mixed pain (3.8 ± 3.4 years) compared to those with pharyngeal pain (0.5 ± 1.0 years), showing a trend (U = 17.0, p = 0.07). There was a significant association between pain radiation to the mandible and misdiagnosis (x

conclusionPatients with GN, especially those with predominant otalgic pain and pain radiating to the mandible, are at higher risk of misdiagnosis due to similarities with TN. Despite the rarity of GN, increased awareness of its various pain manifestations may lead to earlier correct diagnoses, which is crucial for surgical treatment.

Indexed as

Diagnostic ErrorsGlossopharyngeal Nerve DiseasesLaryngoscopyMicrovascular Decompression SurgeryAdultAgedDiagnosis, DifferentialFemaleFollow-Up StudiesGlossopharyngeal NerveHumansMaleMiddle AgedPain MeasurementRetrospective StudiesTertiary Care CentersFacial painGlossopharyngeal neuralgiaMicrovascular decompressionTrigeminal neuralgiaVago-glossopharyngeal neuralgia

Identifiers

PMID39422793

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.