Khatun et al., J Pain Relief 2013, S3
DOI: 10.4172/2167-0846.S3-002
Research Article Open Access
J Pain Relief ISSN: 2167-0846 JPAR, an open access journal
New Nonpharmacological Treatment
of Neuropathic Pain
A Clinical Study of Trigeminal Neuralgia with Incredible Pain, Satisfaction
with Quality Pain Management
Shohda Khatun
1
*, Mozammal Hossain
2
, Rajan Karmakar
3
, M Assaduzzaman
4
and Al Mamoon Ferdousi
5
1
Senior Consultant, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
2
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Conservative Dentistry & Endodontics, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
3
Assistant Professor, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Bangladesh Dental College, Dhaka, Bangladesh
4
Research Assistant, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
5
Faculty of Dentistry, Formerly Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Bangabandhu Sheikh mujib Medical University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Abstract
This is a prospective analytical study of 164 trigeminal neuralgic pain patients. The study was undertaken in order
to determine whether bupivacaine hydrochloride prevent TN pain and reduce the relapse of trigeminal neuralgic pain.
The patient was selected who were previously received alcohol block, Carbamazepine, Cryosurgery, or Peripheral
Neurectomy in different clinics, after relapse in 6-8 months with same intensity of pain. Those patients were referred
to department of oral and maxillofacial surgery, Bangabandu Sheikh Mujib medical university Shahabag Dhaka
Bangladesh between the years 2008-2010 were included in this study.
The affected nerve was blocked with 1.5 ml to 10 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine HCl according to severity of pain.
Patient’s visual analogue scores (VAS) Verbal rating scale (VRS) were recorded on 1st day 3rd day, 7th day, 15th
day. There was a signifcant difference between 1st day medicament and 15th day medicament of value VAS. 1st day
value was 83.10 ± 6.06, at 3rd days was 39.60 ± 7.86, at 7
th
days was 16.25 ± 6.46 and at 15
th
days was 3.30 ± 3.19.
It can be concluded that administration of 0.5% bupivacaine HCl nerve block at regular interval in different dose can
be considered as alternative method to prevent TN pain and frequent relapse in treatment of Trigeminal neuralgia.
*Corresponding author: Shohda Khatun, Senior Consultant, Faculty of Dentistry,
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical
University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, E-mail: nazmus_sakib70@yahoo.com
Received April 20, 2013; Accepted May 27, 2013; Published May 29, 2013
Citation: Khatun S, Hossain M, Karmakar R, Assaduzzaman M, Ferdousi AM
(2013) A Clinical Study of Trigeminal Neuralgia with Incredible Pain, Satisfaction
with Quality Pain Management. J Pain Relief S3: 002. doi:10.4172/2167-0846.S3-
002
Copyright: © 2013 Khatun S, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under
the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and
source are credited.
Keywords: Trigeminal neuralgia; Bupivacaine; Visual analogue
score; Verbal rating score
Introduction
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a disease characterized by paroxysmal
and refractory severe pain occurring along the trigeminal nerve. Te
pain is strictly limited to the distribution of the ffh cranial nerve and
can involve one, two or even three branches. Bilateral cases are very
rare [1]. Te management of trigeminal neuralgia continues to be a
major therapeutic challenge. Current treatments are mainly divided
into medical treatments and surgery and medication is ofen the frst-
line treatment. Traditionally, patients are ofered surgical options only
when medications fail or severe side efects develop [2]. Although
current treatment is initially medical, medical treatment fails in 30%
of cases because of inadequate pain control or side efects of the
drugs used [3]. Surgery can alleviate the pain, but is associated with
morbidity and mortality and is not always efective [4]. Phenytoin,
carbamazepine, clonazepam, gabapentin, and baclofen have also
been used as anti neuralgic drugs [5,6]. Medical management with
anticonvulsant (antiepileptic) drugs has debilitating side efects and
the drugs eventually lose efectiveness [7]. Te medical treatments
(anticonvulsant medications) eliminate or signifcantly reduce the pain
in approximately 75% of patients and are considered the treatment of
choice for incident cases of TN [8]. Unfortunately, the relief provided
by medical therapy generally decreases over time. When medications
fail to relieve TN pain attacks, it is important to reduce the risk of
severe side efects of surgery and surgical squeals seen in cranial
surgery considering the mean age of TN patients. Nerve block with
local anesthetics is appropriate in such cases because this treatment is
reversible and non traumatic and can be efectively used.
In this study nerve block with a 0.5% Bupivacaine hydrochloride
for treating TN as a minor intervention to decrease the risk of
intracranial neurosurgical complications, eliminate the disadvantages
of carbamazepine or on whom carbamazepine is no longer efective
or relapse from diferent moralities of treatment. 0.5% Bupivacaine
hydrochloride presenting a solution for patients sufering from such
a difcult situation.
Materials and Methods
Subjects
A total of 164 patients (Male: 62, Female: 102, age: ranged from
55 to 70 years), who were attended Oral & Maxillofacial Department,
Faculty of Dentistry, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University
Bangladesh were included for this study. Among the 164 patients,
30 patients received alcohol, 25 patients received cryosurgery, 102
patients were treated with Carbamazepine, and 7 patients treated with
peripheral neurectomy. Te patients were divided into 4 study group
according to their nerve involvement:
Group I: (n=70): Inferior alveolar nerve
Group II: (n=30): Inferior alveolar nerve, anterior/middle/posterior
superior alveolar nerve
Group III: (n=55): Infra orbital nerve/zygomatico facial nerve,
anterior/middle/posterior superior alveolar nerve.
Group IV: (n=6): Infra orbital nerve / zygomatico facial nerve,
zygomatico temporal anterior/middle/posterior superior alveolar
nerve
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ISSN: 2167-0846