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J Neurol Surg A Cent Eur Neurosurg 2021; 82(02): 118-124
DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1718708
Original Article

Trigeminal Neuralgia Secondary to Intracranial Neoplastic Lesions: a Case Series and Comprehensive Review

Luigi Valentino Berra
1   Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Neurosurgery, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
,
Daniele Armocida 
1   Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Neurosurgery, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
,
Lara Mastino
1   Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Neurosurgery, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
,
Andrea Di Rita
2   Department of Neurosurgery, San Carlo Borromeo Hospital, Milan, Italy
,
Valerio Di Norcia
1   Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Neurosurgery, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
,
Antonio Santoro
1   Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Neurosurgery, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
,
Manolo Piccirilli
1   Department of Neurology and Psychiatry, Neurosurgery, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Abstract

It is known that intracranial tumors may trigger trigeminal neuralgia (TN) in some patients although the exact prevalence and occurrence is not completely defined yet. In the present study, we present a case series of patients with brain tumor and a clinical diagnosis of TN as the first and main manifestation of the disease. A retrospective analysis was performed involving patients diagnosed with brain tumor whose exclusive clinical feature our department focused on was TN. In addition, a review of all published cases was performed. From January 2017 to November 2018, 718 patients with brain tumor were admitted to our department, 17 of which suffered of TN, of which 8 patients presented with at least another neurologic symptom and 9 patients presented with TN alone, with typical symptoms of stubbing electric pain in 6 cases. In our series, we found that 2.3% of patients admitted for brain tumors had TN. In 0.8% of cases, TN was the main clinical symptom. The prevalence of tumor lesion in patients with facial neuropathic pain is not defined, but it is a well-known recognized initial symptom; however, early cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is not yet strongly recommended in patients with newly diagnosed trigeminal neuralgia. The purpose of this article is, especially in unusual cases, to show that the application of such MR techniques and preoperative evaluation may contribute to diagnosis, indication, and surgery planning.

Keywords

trigeminal neuralgia - brain tumors - facial pain - MRI - skull base tumors

Ethical approval

All the procedures performed in the studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.




Publication History

Received: 15 April 2020

Accepted: 08 June 2020

Article published online:
08 December 2020

© 2020. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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