AANS Beyond 2021: Scientific Papers Collection-Peri-operative Thalamus Structure and Metabolism Predict Response to Surgical Treatment for Trigeminal Neuralgia

Peri-operative Thalamus Structure and Metabolism Predict Response to Surgical Treatment for Trigeminal Neuralgia

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video, Dr. Tejas Sankar from the University of Alberta presents an abstract on the topic of the relationship between the structure and function of the thalamus and the response to surgical treatment for trigeminal neuralgia. Trigeminal neuralgia is a debilitating illness that can be treated with surgery, but many patients experience pain recurrence despite successful initial surgery. The study hypothesized that structural and metabolic abnormalities of the thalamus may be associated with the durability of pain relief following surgery. The study involved a prospective single-center longitudinal study of patients undergoing surgery for trigeminal neuralgia. Neuroimaging techniques were used to examine the thalamus before and after surgery. The study found that the contralateral thalamus was enlarged in all patients with trigeminal neuralgia, but this enlargement did not relate to long-term outcome. Non-responders to surgery showed focal areas of thalamic volume loss before surgery, and there was a characteristic reduction in certain metabolites of the thalamus within one week after surgery in non-responders. These findings suggest that the thalamus plays an important role in the pathophysiology of trigeminal neuralgia and its response to surgery, indicating that thalamic imaging features may be a promising predictor or biomarker in patients undergoing surgery for this condition.

Keywords

Dr. Tejas Sankar

University of Alberta

thalamus

surgical treatment

trigeminal neuralgia