Jaslok Hospital achieves India’s first successful Bilateral Trigeminal Neuralgia diagnosis and treatment

A 56-year-old woman from Maharashtra, suffering from severe facial pain due to Primary Bilateral Trigeminal Neuralgia, has experienced complete relief after undergoing reportedly India’s first  successful Bilateral Micro Vascular Decompression at Jaslok Hospital in Mumbai.

Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre has diagnosed and treated Primary Bilateral Trigeminal Neuralgia (PBTN) in a 56-year-old housewife from Maharashtra. This patient, who had been suffering from severe, shock-like pain on both sides of her face for five years, underwent Bilateral Micro Vascular Decompression (MVD) and experienced complete pain relief, marking the first such case in India.

The patient had been enduring pain triggered by everyday activities like talking, eating, and brushing her teeth. Despite various treatments, she found no relief until she was referred to Jaslok Hospital in October 2023. Dr Raghvendra Ramdasi diagnosed her condition and an MRI scan revealed vascular loops compressing her trigeminal nerves on both sides.

Bilateral Trigeminal Neuralgia is rare, with only about 24 cases reported in the English medical literature, and none from India. Trigeminal Neuralgia is a chronic pain disorder characterised by sudden, severe facial pain, often described as electric shock-like. The gold standard treatment for this condition is Micro Vascular Decompression, which involves placing a Teflon sponge between the nerve and the compressing vessel.

Under the leadership of Dr Raghvendra Ramdasi, the medical team at Jaslok Hospital performed Bilateral Micro Vascular Decompression, initially operating on the more severe left side, followed by the right side a week later. Post-surgery, the patient experienced complete pain relief and has been living pain-free for six months, able to resume normal activities.