Minimizing Technical Failure of Percutaneous Balloon Compression for Trigeminal Neuralgia Using Neuronavigation

Table 1

Surgical technique in steps.

Preoperatively
(1) Head CT scan (bone windows) is performed
(2) Acquired CT images are imported into the navigation system
Inside the operating room
(3) The Head Tracker Frame is strapped firmly to the patient’s forehead
(4) The CT images are registered with the Passive Planar Blunt Probe
(6) Cannulation is performed under the guidance of the navigation system
(7) Cannulation is confirmed by C-arm fluoroscopy
(8) The Fogarty catheter is slowly inflated at the entrance of Meckel’s cave and kept in place for 3 minutes
(9) Balloon is deflated and withdrawn together with the cannula