Article
Neurovascular compression of the trigeminal and glossopharyngeal
nerve: three case reports
A-M Childsa, J F Meaneyb, C D Ferriea, P C Hollanda
a Department of
Paediatrics, B Floor, Clarendon Wing, The General Infirmary at Leeds,
Belmont Grove, Leeds LS2 9NS, UK, b Department of MRI,
The General Infirmary at Leeds
Correspondence to: Dr Holland
Accepted 26
October 1999
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a frequent cause of paroxysmal
facial pain and headache in adults. Glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN) is
less common, but can cause severe episodic pain in the ear and throat.
Neurovascular compression of the appropriate cranial nerve as it leaves
the brain stem is responsible for the symptoms in many patients, and
neurosurgical decompression of the nerve is now a well accepted
treatment in adults with both TN and GPN who fail to respond to drug
therapy. Neither TN nor GPN are routinely considered in the
differential diagnosis when assessing children with paroxysmal facial
or head pain, as they are not reported to occur in childhood. Case
reports of three children with documented neurovascular compression
causing severe neuralgic pain and disability are presented. The fact
that these conditions do occur in the paediatric population, albeit
rarely, is highlighted, and appropriate investigation and management
are discussed.
Keywords: trigeminal neuralgia; glossopharyngeal neuralgia; facial pain; headache; microvascular decompression; Gabapentin
© 2000 by Archives of Disease in Childhood
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