Though primarily used to treat benign and malignant tumors, stereotactic radiosurgery can also treat additional medical conditions, such as a rare nerve disorder, Trigeminal Neuralgia.

1. Understanding Trigeminal Neuralgia
What Is It? / Types / Treatment Options / More Info
6802 South Olympia Ave Suite G100, Tulsa, OK 74132 / (918) 949-6676 / www.oklahomack.com

2. What is Trigeminal Neuralgia?
Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), sometimes referred to as Tic Douloureux, is
a nerve disorder that can cause intense pain on either side of the
face. The pain can be triggered when cold air touches specific facial
areas or with movements like chewing, talking or swallowing. The
unpredictable, severe pain from TN can significantly impact one's
quality of life.
The disorder occurs in the trigeminal, or fifth cranial, nerve that
controls sensation in the face. TN is more common in women, and
patients are typically middle-aged or seniors.
6802 South Olympia Ave Suite G100, Tulsa, OK 74132 / (918) 949-6676 / www.oklahomack.com

3. Trigeminal Neuralgia:
Typical & Atypical Cases
TYPICAL TN
In typical TN, patients suffer from
unpredictable episodes of stabbing,
electric shock-like pain in a
consistent location. Such patients can
reproduce an attack by touching a
“trigger point” on the face or
performing a specific activity like
chewing or talking.
ATYPICAL TN
With atypical TN, the pain is a persistent
dull ache or burning sensation in one
part of the face. However, episodes of
sharp pain can complicate atypical TN.
There is usually not a specific trigger
point with atypical TN, while the pain
grows worse over time.
6802 South Olympia Ave Suite G100, Tulsa, OK 74132 / (918) 949-6676 / www.oklahomack.com

4. What are the treatment options?
All forms of TN can be treated with medication, surgery or radiosurgery, all of which
offer varying degrees of success. Medication can relieve pain in most TN patients,
though it’s not always effective and can produce fatigue or other significant side
effects. Nevertheless, medication is generally the first line of treatment.
Please note: We encourage consumers to thoroughly review and understand all treatment options. The information presented
here is not all-inclusive. Rather, it represents a starting point to learn more about medical conditions and treatment options.
There is no substitute for consulting a medical professional.
Surgery
Radiosurgery
6802 South Olympia Ave Suite G100, Tulsa, OK 74132 / (918) 949-6676 / www.oklahomack.com

5. Treatment Option One:
Surgery
If patients do not find relief from pain medication, they may be a candidate
for surgery, including a procedure known as microvascular decompression,
or MVD. In younger TN patients, MVD is often preferred, because it holds
the potential of a long-term cure without causing significant facial
numbness.
Other procedures known as radiofrequency rhizotomy, glycerol rhizotomy
or nerve balloon compression attempt to destroy trigeminal nerve fibers
that cause pain. These operations have varying degrees of success and pain
relief can return after a few years. Therefore, the treatment is typically
repeated several times over a patient’s life.
Open surgery also carries risks of infection, arterial or cranial-nerve injury
or stroke. Certain patients have medical conditions that prevent surgery,
while others may object to surgery.
6802 South Olympia Ave Suite G100, Tulsa, OK 74132 / (918) 949-6676 / www.oklahomack.com

6. Treatment Option Two:
Radiosurgery
Though primarily used to treat benign and malignant tumors throughout the body,
stereotactic radiosurgery can also treat additional medical conditions including
trigeminal neuralgia. The CyberKnife® is an advanced technology that performs
stereotactic radiosurgery. During the procedure, the machine delivers highly focused
radiation to the trigeminal nerve to interrupt pain-causing fibers. While other
stereotactic radiosurgery treatment options can require a metal frame be attached
to the patient's skull under local anesthesia, CyberKnife does not. CyberKnife doesn’t
require a head frame. It uses a highly advanced computer-imaging system that can
compensate for small head movements, allowing the patient to lie comfortably
during the procedure.
TN treatment with the CyberKnife begins with a CT or MRI brain scan, particularly
of the trigeminal nerve area. With a CT scan, doctors often use a dye injected into
the spinal fluid through a spinal tap to improve the imaging.
6802 South Olympia Ave Suite G100, Tulsa, OK 74132 / (918) 949-6676 / www.oklahomack.com

7. Treatment Option Two:
Radiosurgery
• During CyberKnife treatment, high-dose radiation beams are precisely aimed along a segment of the trigeminal nerve.
• The pinpoint accuracy of the CyberKnife procedure spares healthy tissue and does not require surgery or sedation.
• Stereotactic radiosurgery for TN is typically a one-time, outpatient procedure and is completed within an hour.
• TN does not have a cure, but pain can be reduced or eliminated in about 85 to 90 percent of patients who are treated with
stereotactic radiosurgery, according to clinical data.
• The most common side effect is facial numbness that likely correlates with the degree of pain relief.
• Pain relief with CyberKnife treatment can be substantially faster than other forms of radiosurgery.
• This may be the result of the system’s accuracy. Follow-up is needed before doctors can estimate how long pain relief will last.
6802 South Olympia Ave Suite G100, Tulsa, OK 74132 / (918) 949-6676 / www.oklahomack.com

8. Our Center
Opened in 2008, Oklahoma CyberKnife is widely known as a leading provider of stereotactic radiosurgery.
Oklahoma CyberKnife is service of Hillcrest Medical Center. Our team of physicians has conducted research on
CyberKnife’s ability to alleviate trigeminal neuralgia patients’ pain. Medical Director Dr. Heaton is a nationally
recognized expert on the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia and appeared at the 2010 annual meeting of the
CyberKnife Society to present her clinical findings from a study examining pain relief in 19 trigeminal neuralgia
patients following CyberKnife treatment.
If you or a loved one is diagnosed with Trigeminal Neuralgia, or you would like to know more about the disorder,
contact Oklahoma CyberKnife to schedule a consultation with our physicians to determine the best next step for
your treatment needs.
Medical Director: Dr. Diane Heaton
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6802 South Olympia Ave Suite G100, Tulsa, OK 74132 / (918) 949-6676 / www.oklahomack.com