Mesencephalotomy for the treatment of facial cancer pain: a systematic review of the literature

This systematic review aims to analyze and explore the risks, benefits, and efficacy of performing Mesencephalotomy in patients with unilateral facial pain secondary to cancer. This study followed PRISMA guidelines and used the PubMed and "Biblioteca Virtual em Saúde" (BVS) databases. The risk of bias for all included studies was assessed individually with the "Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I)" tool. Six articles were included in this review. The surgical outcomes were promising, supporting the safety and efficacy of mesencephalotomy for malignant facial pain and surpassing the general efficacy reported in the literature. Mesencephalotomy should be considered a viable approach to pain management in patients with facial pain secondary to malignant neoplasms. This intervention has the potential for broader application within the field of palliative Care. This research is not registered in any database.