Open AccessIntractable Facial Pain Associated with a Ganglioglioma of the Cervicomedullary Junction
Author(s) -
Nancy E. Epstein,
Fred J. Epstein,
Jeffrey Allen,
Slobodan Aleksic
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
neurosurgery/neurosurgery online
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.485
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1081-1281
pISSN - 0148-396X
DOI - 10.1227/00006123-198205000-00012
Subject(s) - medicine , ganglioglioma , lesion , surgery , intractable pain , intramedullary rod , radiological weapon , computed tomographic , facial nerve , trigeminal neuralgia , radiology , computed tomography , psychiatry , epilepsy
A 6-year-old child with a brain stem tumor presented with the unusual complaint of intractable facial pain resembling trigeminal neuralgia in the absence of other symptoms or signs referable to the 5th cranial nerve. The radiological evaluation included a computed tomographic scan with intravenous contrast administration, which demonstrated an enhancing intramedullary lesion extending from the obex to C-4. After radiation and chemotherapy had failed to achieve symptomatic relief, the tumor, later proven to be a ganglioglioma, was radically removed with the ultrasonic aspirator. Postoperatively the patient experienced full pain relief.