Posted by Rodger Griffin (152.163.207.66) on January 11, 2001 at 15:52:42:
In Reply to: surgical options?? posted by sally on January 10, 2001 at 13:04:04:
As a last resort due to the ineffective non-surgical regimens that were tried for 12 years prior, (everything known that could be tried w/o surgery was,and i do mean everything). I had a Stereotactic Radio Frequency Rhizotomy (RFR) of the Trigeminal Nerve. This nerve is located behind the orbit of your eye. It is a non-invasive type of procedure, where in my case they went in 3 centimeters from the corner of my mouth (right side)and fed this very small wire with a tip on it, that, when in place he burns the nerve of which there are three branch's.
Your awake for some of the procedure and out while they are burning the nerves. After burning for a while they will awake you and prick your face with a neddle to see how much of the nerve has been burned away until they get the result's he is looking for. There are 3 branches of the nerve on each side of your face.Your forehead,cheek area and lower jaw to the midline of your face,which is a straight line through the middle of your head continuing between your eyes through middle of nose to same of your chin.
There are side effects that may cause you to think hard about this surgery. In my case i now have what they call Anethesia Delorosa,you will have dry eye due to damaging the tear duct causing you to constantly having to put artifical tears in your eyes.If this isn't enough bittersweet news, I've had to have the surgery twice,due to re-generation of part of the nerve. On top of that I have had my skull cracked in desperation in '95 to clean up scar tissue and to sever the nerve again.In closing i still have the HA'S, not as many but when they breakthrough there worse than the worst i had before and that was a 50+ on a 1-10 scale.It has disabled me from work and most of my life.I can attribute that to the surgeries and the opiod medications that can help but disrupt your life as did the CH.If i can be of any help or to go into more depth with any of you that are at your rope's end,write me,I will be more than glad to help you in any way
Sincerely,
Rodger