Prolonged relief of tic douloureux from partial root destruction is associated with localized analgesia

Fifty-eight patients who had been relieved of tic douloureux (TD) for least 3 years after partial destruction of the trigeminal sensory root by injection of minimal amounts of alcohol were reexamined 3 1/2 to 21 years after treatment. Of 41 patients still in remission at a median of 10 years after treatment, 32 had analgesia; i.e., sensation of pain from pinprick was absent in all 52 originally neuralgic areas. The other 9 patients in remission had some pain on pinprick in their neuralgic areas. In contrast, of 17 patients with recurrence of TD 3 1/2 to 11 years (median, 6 years) after treatment, at least 15 had demonstrable pain on pinprick in the neuralgic areas. It is concluded that continuing absence of pain on pinprick in the affected facial mucocutaneous area (or areas) is associated with prolonged relief of tic douloureux.