Theodoros Fasilis, Stylianos Gatzonis, Panayiotis Patrikelis, Stefanos Korfias, Athanasia Alexoudi, 1st Department of Neurosurgery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 10676, Greece
Athanasia Alexoudi, Department of Neurology, Neurological Institute of Athens, Athens 10676, Greece
Author contributions: Alexoudi A and Gatzonis S designed research; Fasilis T performed research; Alexoudi A and Fasilis T analyzed data; Alexoudi A wrote the letter; Korfias S and Patrikelis P, revised the letter.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors declare no conflict of interest.
Corresponding author: Athanasia Alexoudi, MD, MSc, PhD, Academic Research, Research Fellow, Department of Neurosurgery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Ipsilantou 45-47, Athens 10676, Greece. alexoudath@yahoo.gr
Received: November 24, 2023 Peer-review started: November 24, 2023 First decision: December 18, 2023 Revised: December 27, 2023 Accepted: January 16, 2024 Article in press: January 16, 2024 Published online: February 16, 2024 Processing time: 67 Days and 13.1 Hours
Abstract
Trigeminal neuralgia is a severe, disabling pain and its deafferentation remains a challenge for health providers. Transcranial direct current stimulation is a non-invasive stimulation technique which finds new utility in managing pain. Therefore, the introduction of alternative, non-invasive, safe, and effective methods should be considered in treating patients with trigeminal neuralgia unresponsive to conventional treatment.
Core Tip: Various drugs and surgical procedures have been utilized for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia. The side effects of conventional treatments alongside with the refractoriness of the condition render numerous available approaches unsatisfactory. Mounting evidence suggest alternative, non-invasive, and safe methods such as patient-controlled intravenous analgesia with esketamine and transcranial direct current stimulation effective instruments in treating patients with trigeminal neuralgia unresponsive to conventional treatment.
