Botulinum toxin in trigeminal neuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia is one of the most disabling facial pain syndromes, with a significant impact on patients' quality of life. Pharmacotherapy is the first choice for treatment but cases of drug resistance often require new strategies, among which various interventional treatments have been u...

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Published inMedicina clinica Vol. 148; no. 1; p. 28
Main Authors Castillo-Álvarez, Federico, Hernando de la Bárcena, Ignacio, Marzo-Sola, María Eugenia
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Spain 06.01.2017
Subjects
Botulinum Toxins, Type A - therapeutic use
Humans
Neuromuscular Agents - therapeutic use
Treatment Outcome
Trigeminal Neuralgia - drug therapy
Farmacorresistente
OnabotulinumtoxinA
Treatment
Trigeminal neuralgia
Tratamiento
Dolor neuropático
Drug-refractory
Toxina botulínica
Botulinum toxin
Neuralgia del trigémino
Neuropathic pain
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Summary:Trigeminal neuralgia is one of the most disabling facial pain syndromes, with a significant impact on patients' quality of life. Pharmacotherapy is the first choice for treatment but cases of drug resistance often require new strategies, among which various interventional treatments have been used. In recent years a new therapeutic strategy consisting of botulinum toxin has emerged, with promising results. We reviewed clinical cases and case series, open-label studies and randomized clinical trials examining the use of botulinum toxin for drug-refractory trigeminal neuralgia published in the literature. The administration of botulinum toxin has proven to be a safe and effective therapeutic strategy in patients with drug-refractory idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia, but many questions remain unanswered as to the precise role of botulinum toxin in the treatment of this disease.
ISSN:1578-8989
DOI:10.1016/j.medcli.2016.07.032