Fluoroscopic-Guided Bipolar Versus Monopolar Pulsed Radiofrequency for Refractory Trigeminal Neuralgia

January 16, 2025 updated by: Eman Hamdy, Alexandria University

The Efficacy and Safety of Fluoroscopic-Guided Bipolar Versus Monopolar Pulsed Radiofrequency for Refractory Trigeminal Neuralgia: An Exploratory Study

A prospective exploratory study aiming at comparing pulsed bipolar versus pulsed unipolar radiofrequency ablation in patients with medically refractory trigeminal neuralgia.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

This will be a prospective exploratory that will be conducted on patients with the inclusion and exclusion criteria detailed.

At the baseline visit, the sociodemographic data (age, sex, smoking status) and clinical data (TN etiology (idiopathic or symptomatic), TN phenotype (purely paroxysmal or with concomitant continuous pain), clinical symptoms topography (V2, V3), brain MRI findings, previous medications and interventions, and comorbidities) will be collected. The patients will be randomly assigned to undergo bipolar PRF or monopolar PRF using a simple randomization technique.

Pain scores will be assessed using the nominal rating scale (NRS) at baseline, within two weeks postoperatively, and at 1-month, 3-month, and 6-month intervals. Patient satisfaction will be assessed within two weeks following the intervention on a five-point Likert scale (5 represents very good and 1 means very bad). Treatment success will be defined as at least a 50% reduction in pain scores. The duration to pain control and the duration to pain recurrence/rebound will be assessed at follow-up visits. The patient's postoperative need for medications or further pain interventions will be detailed. Intraoperative and postinterventional complications will be monitored and documented.

Study interventions For the PRF procedure, all patients will be prepared in the operating room and will undergo standard operative monitoring (i.e., blood pressure, electrocardiography, and pulse oximetry). They will be positioned in a supine position with slight neck extension. Sedation will be provided (100 Ig fentanyl and 2 mg midazolam intravenously). Skin preparation will be performed using chlorhexidine.

I- Monopolar PRF In the monopolar PRF, an RF cannula (22-gauge, 100 mm, with a 10 mm active tip (SMK)) will be percutaneously advanced at the posterior border of the foramen ovale under fluoroscopic guidance. For confirming the detection of the mandibular nerve, sensory stimulation will be performed via the radiofrequency generator at a current of 0.5 to 1 V at a frequency of 50 Hz to elicit paresthesia response in the mandibular region. Motor stimulation will be performed via the generator at a current of 1 - 2 V applied at a frequency of 2 Hz to obtain a contraction response at the masseter muscle. After obtaining the appropriate responses, PRF will be applied at a fixed heat energy of 42 °C for a period of 240 seconds10.

II- Bipolar PRF For bipolar PRF, two RF cannulas will be advanced in the foramen ovale under fluoroscopic guidance. The first (22-gauge, 100 mm, and 10-mm active tip (SMK)) will be placed at the anterior border of the foramen ovale, and then the second (same parameters) will be advanced at the posterior border. The correct position will be confirmed on the lateral position until the correct placement at V2. Sensory and motor testing will be performed as aforementioned in the monopolar PRF to confirm the appropriate capture of the trigeminal nerve. Following obtaining the appropriate responses, PRF will be performed in two cycles, three minutes each, at a temperature of 42ºC and a current of 85 V and a 20-millisecond pulse width13.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

20

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

      • Alexandria, Egypt, 21517
        • Recruiting
        • ALEXANDRIA UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF MEDICINE
        • Contact:
          • Eman Hamdy, PhD
      • Cairo, Egypt
        • Recruiting
        • Cairo University Kasr Alainy Faculty of Medicine
        • Contact:
          • Ahmed Elshal, PhD

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Child
  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Patients with a definitive diagnosis of classical TN based on the third version of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3).
  2. Either purely paroxysmal classical TN or classical TN with concomitant chronic pain.
  3. Patients with idiopathic TN, with symptomatic clinical topography of V2 and/or V3.
  4. Patients with brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) unremarkable for structural etiology for the trigeminal pain.
  5. Patients with medically refractory TN defined as pain persisting beyond three months at a level of ≥5/10 after monotherapy or polytherapy in appropriate medical doses.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Painful trigeminal neuropathy based on the third version of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3).
  2. Trigeminal neuralgia with V1 symptomatic clinical topography.
  3. Trigeminal neuralgia comorbid with other atypical facial pain disorders.
  4. Structural TN e.g., due to vascular compression, posterior fossa tumors, central demyelination, …etc.
  5. Patients exposed to previous radiofrequency procedures, as this may impair the nerve response to current PRF.
  6. Patients who refused to participate in the study.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Placebo Comparator: Monopolar pulsed radiofrequncy
Patients with refractory TN undergoing monopolar pulsed radiofrequency
Monopolar pulsed radiofrequency ablation: the placebo
Active Comparator: Bipolar pulsed radiofrequency
Patients with refractory TN undergoing bipolar pulsed radiofrequency
Bipolar pulsed radiofrequency ablation: the active comparator

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Numerical pain scale (NRS)
Time Frame: Two weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months
50% Pain reduction in the numerical rating scale (NRS)
Two weeks, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Adverse events monitoring (Frequency, severity, seriousness, and causality)
Time Frame: 6 months
Frequency, type, and severity of adverse events. Classification of AEs as mild, moderate, or severe. Assessment of causality between the treatment and the AE
6 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

January 1, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

June 1, 2025

Study Completion (Estimated)

September 1, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 13, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 13, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

March 25, 2025

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

March 25, 2025

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 16, 2025

Last Verified

January 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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