An 85-year-old patient successfully underwent surgery for trigeminal neuralgia — a chronic condition that causes sharp, shock-like pain in the face — at Kauvery Hospital, Radial Road in Chennai, recently.
The patient, B. Veeraswami, was suffering from trigeminal neuralgia on the left side of the face for the past four years. The pain progressively increased in intensity and frequency, to the extent that when he approached neurosurgeons at Kauvery Hospital, he had been unable to talk, eat, or even brush his teeth and shave without experiencing excruciating pain. As a side effect to the medication Mr. Veeraswami had been taking, he felt constantly drowsy.
“The condition is typically caused by a blood vessel lying in close contact with the trigeminal nerve that transmits sensations from the face to the brain. Due to the constant pulsation of the vessel on the nerve, the latter gets irritated, and any sensation is then perceived as pain. If medicines do not work, Microvascular Decompression (MVD) surgery is the cure,” said Krish Sridhar, senior neurosurgeon and Group Mentor, Neurosciences, Kauvery Hospital at a press meet on Monday, January 29, 2024.
Through the low-risk MDV surgery, the offending (albeit normal) vessel was moved away from the nerve. Mr. Veerasamy has recovered well and is now able to perform his daily routine without pain.
“Age is not a contraindication for surgery, especially when the patient is suffering from severe pain. Considering the advancements in anaesthesia and modern surgical technologies available, if a patient is medically fit for anaesthesia, the MVD surgery is the best option for a long-term cure for trigeminal neuralgia,” said Ponniah Vanamoorthy, head and senior consultant, Neuro Anaesthesia & Critical Care at Kauvery Hospital.
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