Posted by Patrick on July 09, 1998 at 15:43:16:
Headache 1998 Jan;38(1):3-9
Gamma knife treatment of refractory cluster headache.
Ford RG, Ford KT, Swaid S, Young P, Jennelle R
Ford Headache Clinic, Birmingham, AL 35213, USA.
Four men and two women were treated for refractory cluster headache by gamma knife radiosurgery of the trigeminal nerve
root entry zone. The maximum dose of radiation was 70 Gy to the isocenter. Of five patients treated who had refractory
chronic cluster headache and one with refractory episodic cluster headache, four had relief judged excellent. Of the two
remaining patients with refractory chronic cluster headache, one had relief judged good and the other fair. Five of the six
patients treated had relief within a few days to a week following gamma knife radiosurgery. Three with chronic cluster
headache had remissions allowing cessation of all preventive and abortive medication. Although one patient experienced
complete relief of chronic cluster headache, he continued to have migraine requiring medication. None of the patients treated
developed significant postradiation side effects during a follow-up period of 8 to 14 months. The authors conclude that gamma
knife radiosurgery of the trigeminal nerve affords great promise in the management of chronic and refractory cluster headache.
The technique seemingly carries negligible short- and long- term risk.