Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40854254›Full record

ArticleJournal of neurosurgery. Case lessons2025

MRI-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy for neuropathic pain in an adolescent with cranial metastases: illustrative case.

Sarah G Van Winkle, Danika L Paulo, Ashwin Viswanathan, Daniel Curry, Nisha Gadgil

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of neurosurgery. Case lessons, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Sarah G Van WinkleDepartment of Neurosurgery, Texas Children's Hospital/ Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
Danika L PauloDepartment of Neurosurgery, Texas Children's Hospital/ Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
Ashwin ViswanathanDepartment of Neurosurgery, Texas Children's Hospital/ Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
Daniel CurryDepartment of Neurosurgery, Texas Children's Hospital/ Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.
Nisha GadgilDepartment of Neurosurgery, Texas Children's Hospital/ Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNeuropathic cancer pain (NCP) is a debilitating condition that is often refractory to conventional medical management. MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) central lateral thalamotomy (CLT) is an incisionless neurosurgical option for neuropathic pain palliation, but its use in pediatric patients and those with cranial metastases, a relative contraindication to MRgFUS, remains largely unexamined. OBSERVATIONS: A 16-year-old male with metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) with numerous cranial metastases experienced severe, diffuse, refractory NCP. The patient underwent bilateral CLT with MRgFUS. After the procedure, the patient experienced complete and durable resolution of his neuropathic pain. He only reported occasional somatic pain at sites of visible tumor growth. His pain remained well controlled until his death 1.5 months later due to disease progression. LESSONS: MRgFUS CLT appears to be a feasible and efficacious option for adolescent cancer patients with atypical cranial anatomy due to metastatic disease. This case highlights the potential for durable pain control in refractory NCP and suggests MRgFUS as a valuable palliative tool, warranting further investigation in pediatric patients and unique anatomical scenarios. https://thejns.org/doi/10.3171/CASE25221.

Indexed as

cancer paincentral lateral thalamotomyfocused ultrasoundMRgFUSneuropathic painpalliative surgery

Identifiers

PMID40854254
PMCPMC12377172

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.