Back to Glossary

percutaneous trigeminal rhizotomy

A procedure used to treat trigeminal neuralgia (intractable "electric shock" like facial pain), which involves creating a controlled lesion, by the use of heat, of a ganglion of the trigeminal nerve (portion of the nerve supplying sensation to the face).  A needle is placed into the nerve, through an opening at the skull base, and guided under x-ray vision.

 

  Terms of Use I Privacy Policy