What Is Stereotactic Radiosurgery?
Stereotactic surgery uses focused radiation to damage nerve tissue (trigeminal nerve) to prevent or disrupt pain signals in your brain. We can use stereotactic radiosurgery to treat 三叉神经痛, a condition that causes facial pain. With stereotactic radiosurgery, we send radiation to the trigeminal nerve root to disrupt pain signals.
Why Choose University of Utah Health?
U of U Health specialists offer comprehensive treatment for all types of facial pain. Our multispecialty team includes 神经外科医生, interventional pain specialists, 和 神经学家. Our providers are members of national organizations including the 面部疼痛协会. 因为这种参与, our patients have easy access to peer support groups 和 extra resources.
Many of our specialists see a high number of patients with facial pain, increasing our experience 和 expertise. We offer the full range of treatments for 三叉神经痛 和 have the advanced knowledge needed to treat other types of craniofacial pain. We offer coordinated, comprehensive treatment.
Benefits of Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Stereotactic radiosurgery is an excellent option for patients who aren’t ideal c和idates for more invasive surgeries. This includes people who shouldn’t stop taking blood thinners to undergo surgery. 福利包括:
- 更快的恢复,
- less time in the hospital (same-day discharge), 和
- 无手术切口.
C和idate Criteria for Stereotactic Radiosurgery
We typically offer surgery for 三叉神经痛 when nerve pain doesn’t improve with medication or medication side effects become too much to h和le. You may be a c和idate for stereotactic radiosurgery if you:
- have 三叉神经痛 secondary to another condition, such as 多发性硬化症, or
- have classical 三叉神经痛 和 have other medical conditions that could increase your risk of experiencing a complication with more invasive treatments.
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Stereotactic Radiosurgery Procedure: What to Expect
On the day of the procedure, your surgical team will use pins to attach a frame to your head. The frame ensures that you don’t move your head 和 expose healthy tissue to radiation during treatment. Then, while you have the frame on, the team will use a 计算机断层扫描 和 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) taken before the procedure to map out exactly where to send the radiation.
You will receive local anesthesia so you don’t feel any pain from the head frame. You may also receive medication to help you remain calm 和 relaxed during treatment.
During stereotactic radiosurgery, you will lie on a table. Your radiation therapist will position the radiation machine 和 send several precise doses of radiation to your trigeminal nerve. Stereotactic radiosurgery takes 30 to 60 minutes to perform.
操作结束后
After the procedure, your provider will remove the headframe. You will stay in an observation room with a nurse for a short period. As soon as you 和 the nurse feel comfortable, you can return home.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery Recovery
You can resume your usual activities as soon as you feel ready. You may feel fatigued for the rest of the day or a few days. You’ll feel some facial numbness over the next several weeks that should go away over time.
Stereotactic radiosurgery results aren’t immediate. It can take several weeks or months to feel nerve pain relief. You’ll continue taking your medications for 三叉神经痛 until your provider tells you to begin tapering off them.
Long-Term Side Effects of Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Most people don’t have any long-term side effects of stereotactic radiosurgery for 三叉神经痛. 这种疗法使用精确的, focused radiation doses 和 has fewer side effects than many other types of radiation therapy.
Success Rates of Stereotactic Radiosurgery
Stereotactic radiosurgery has a one-year success rate of around 65 percent. We may offer radiosurgery again or another treatment such as 经皮神经根切断术 如果神经疼痛复发.
Schedule an Evaluation with Our Neurosurgeons
If you would like to find out more about 三叉神经痛 surgery, it’s best to get a referral from your primary care provider or neurologist. Your referring provider will run tests to help our 神经外科医生 underst和 your symptoms 和 needs when you come in for your appointment.
If you don’t have a referral, you may 网上预约, request a virtual consultation via My图表，或致电801-585-6065.
To refer a patient to our neurosurgery team, fill out our 推荐形式 或致电801-585-6087.