Trigeminal Neuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia is sudden and severe pain on one side of the face. The pain is usually felt in the lower part of the face and is triggered by facial stimuli such as tooth brushing, eating and talking. Trigeminal neuralgia affects women more often than men and usually begins in middle age.

Trigeminal neuralgia is caused by compression of the trigeminal nerve inside the skull, usually a nearby vein pressing on part of the trigeminal nerve.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA?

Severe, pounding or impulsive episodes of pain that may feel like an electric shock
Spontaneous episodes of pain triggered by things like touching the face, chewing, talking, or brushing teeth
Attacks of pain lasting from a few seconds to a few minutes
Pain with facial spasms
by the trigeminal nerve, including the cheek, jaw, teeth, gums, lips, or less commonly the eyes and forehead
Pain affecting one side of the face at a time
Pain that rarely occurs while sleeping at night
Attacks that become more frequent and intense over time

TREATMENT

Medication is the first choice for patients and often the pain can be controlled at least to some degree. But, trigeminal neuralgia is a long-term condition, and periods of well-being often shorten over time. Surgery is recommended when trigeminal neuralgia becomes more frequent and intense despite medical treatment .

microvascular Decompression : Surgical procedure “ microvascular It is called “decompression ” and is a procedure usually done using a microscope. This procedure aims to relocate blood vessels that are in contact with the nerve. microvascular

decompression, an incision is made behind your ear on the side of your pain. The arteries that are in contact with the trigeminal nerve are then removed from the nerve through a small hole in your skull , and a soft cushion is placed between the nerve and the arteries. microvascular Decompression can successfully eliminate or reduce pain for many years, but in three out of 10 people the pain may recur within 10 years. microvascular Decompression has some risks, such as decreased hearing, facial weakness, facial numbness, paralysis, or other complications .

Radiosurgery ( Gamaknife - Cyberknife ): In this procedure , a focused dose of radiation is directed to the root of your trigeminal nerve. Healing occurs gradually and can take up to a month. brain stereotactic Radiosurgery is successful in relieving pain for most people. However, like all procedures , there is a risk of recurrence, usually within 3 to 5 years. If the pain recurs, the procedure can be repeated or an alternative procedure can be performed. Facial numbness is a common side effect and may persist months or years after the procedure.

Radiofrequency thermal ablation : This procedure selectively destroys nerve fibers associated with pain. Radiofrequency is applied by reaching the nerve root with a needle . The aim is to create a lesion on the nerve that produces pain by generating heat. Radiofrequency thermal lesion usually may be a temporary numbness of the face after the procedure. The pain may return after three to four years.

Brain Tumors in Children

Pediatric brain tumors are abnormal cell masses or growths in children that arise from the brain itself or from the tissues surrounding it. There are many different types of pediatric brain tumors. While some of them are benign, some are unfortunately malignant.

Treatment and the chances of recovery ( prognosis ) depend on the type of tumor, its location in the brain, whether it has spread, and your child's age and general health. Treatments are changing as new treatments and technologies are constantly being developed.

CLINICAL SYMPTOMS

The signs and symptoms of a brain tumor in children vary greatly and depend on the type, size, location, and growth rate of the brain tumor. It is not easy to distinguish from a brain tumor as symptoms can occur in many other clinical situations .

the more common symptoms of a brain tumor in children include:

Headaches that can be frequent and severe
Feeling of increased pressure in the head
Unexplained nausea or vomiting
Sudden onset vision problems, such as double vision

symptoms, depending on the location of the tumor, include:

Tense or puffy fontanelles in babies
seizures
abnormal eye movement
speech disorder
difficulty swallowing
loss of appetite; or in infants, feeding difficulties
balance disorder
difficulty walking
Weakness or loss of feeling in an arm or leg
Weakness or drooping on one side of the face
memory problems
personality or behavior changes
hearing problems

FACTORS CAUSED TUMORS

many cases, the exact cause of pediatric brain tumors is unknown.

These tumors are typically tumors that originate from the brain's own cells. It starts when normal cells have errors (mutations) in their DNA. These mutations allow cells to grow and divide at increased rates and continue to live while healthy cells die. As a result, abnormal cells accumulate to form a mass-forming tumor.

medulloblastoma or ependymoma , are more common in children. Although rare, a family history of brain tumors or a family history of genetic syndromes may increase the risk of brain tumors in some children.

TREATMENT

Pediatric brain tumor treatment depends on the type, size, and location of the tumor, as well as your child's age and general health.

Operation

attempts will be made to remove your child's brain tumor as safely as possible .

In some cases, the tumors are small and easy to separate from the surrounding brain tissue, making complete surgical removal possible. But sometimes tumors cannot be separated from the surrounding tissue or are located near sensitive areas of the brain, making surgery risky. In these cases, it is aimed to remove as much of the tumor as possible during surgery. Even removing a portion of the brain tumor can help reduce signs and symptoms .

Surgery to remove a pediatric brain tumor carries risks such as infection and bleeding. Other risks may depend on the part of your child's brain where the tumor is located. For example, surgery on a tumor near the nerves that connect to the eye may carry the risk of vision loss.

The tumor removed by surgery is examined by pathologists who are experts in the field and histological diagnosis is made. Depending on the diagnosis, radiotherapy , chemotherapy or radiosurgery ( gamaknife , cyberknife ) can be added to the treatment.