Postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) is a painful, long-lasting condition as a consequence of nerve damage resulting from a herpes zoster infection. Although there are many different treatments available to reduce pain duration and severity, PHN is often refractory to them and no single therapy shows an effective cure for all cases of PHN, especially for those involving the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve. Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) is a minimally invasive procedure for pain treatment that has been practiced over the past decade. However, its clinical efficacy and safety for treating PHN involving the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve have not been evaluated. Objective. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of PRF for treating PHN involving the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal ganglion. Study Design. An observational study. Setting. All patients received PRF of the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve, pain intensity was assessed by a visual analogue scale (VAS), and complications before and after PRF stimulation were noted. Methods. Thirty-two patients with PHN of the ophthalmic branch were treated by PRF of the ophthalmic branch with controlled temperature at 42°C for 8 min. Pain relief, corneal reflex, sleep quality, and satisfaction were assessed for all patients. Results. Thirty out of 32 patients (93.75%) reported significant pain reduction after PRF treatment. Twenty-eight of them (87.5%) were satisfied with their sleep and obtained a pain score lower than 3 following the procedure. Only two patients had a recurrence of the severe burning pain and returned to the hospital for other medical therapies 2 weeks after the PRF procedure. No patient lost the corneal reflex. Limitations. This study is an observational study and a nonprospective trial with a short-term follow-up period. Conclusion. PRF of the trigeminal ganglion of the ophthalmic branch can significantly reduce pain sensation and improve sleep quality and satisfaction.

中文翻译：

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三叉神经节脉冲射频治疗带状疱疹后眼科神经痛


带状疱疹后神经痛 (PHN) 是一种痛苦的、持久的疾病，是带状疱疹感染导致神经损伤的结果。尽管有许多不同的治疗方法可以减少疼痛持续时间和严重程度，但 PHN 通常难以治愈，并且没有一种单一疗法能够有效治愈所有 PHN 病例，尤其是涉及三叉神经眼支的病例。脉冲射频 (PRF) 是一种用于疼痛治疗的微创手术，已在过去十年中得到应用。然而，其治疗累及三叉神经眼支的 PHN 的临床疗效和安全性尚未得到评估。客观的。本研究旨在评估 PRF 治疗累及三叉神经节眼支的 PHN 的有效性和安全性。研究设计。一项观察性研究。环境。所有患者均接受三叉神经眼支 PRF，通过视觉模拟量表 (VAS) 评估疼痛强度，并记录 PRF 刺激前后的并发症。方法。 32例眼科PHN患者接受眼科PRF治疗，温度控制在42℃，持续8分钟。对所有患者的疼痛缓解、角膜反射、睡眠质量和满意度进行了评估。结果。 32 名患者中有 30 名 (93.75%) 报告 PRF 治疗后疼痛明显减轻。其中 28 人 (87.5%) 对自己的睡眠感到满意，手术后疼痛评分低于 3 分。只有两名患者在 PRF 手术后 2 周再次出现严重灼痛并返回医院接受其他药物治疗。没有患者丧失角膜反射。 局限性。本研究是一项观察性研究和具有短期随访期的非前瞻性试验。结论。眼支三叉神经节PRF可显着减轻痛觉，提高睡眠质量和满意度。