Objectives.  This study was designed to evaluate the pain response in painful traumatic trigeminal neuropathy after injection of the platelet-rich plasma into the sphenopalatine ganglion.

Methods.  Ten patients with diagnosed painful traumatic trigeminal neuropathy were initially treated with a sphenopalatine ganglion block with 1% lidocaine and dexamethasone.  Eight of the ten patients reported more than 60% improvement, and were then given a sphenopalatine ganglion injection with autologous platelet-rich plasma one month later.  Pain results were recorded at 6 months postoperatively.

Results.  Five of the eight patients injected with platelet-rich plasma had more than 60% improvement at 6 month follow up.  There were no complications.  All patients stated they would recommend the procedure to other patients.  Patients with a favorable response to platelet-rich plasma had duration of symptoms of 5 years on average prior to the procedure, versus 10 years for those patients who did not respond.

Conclusions.  Patients with painful traumatic trigeminal neuropathy have a favorable outcome to platelet-rich plasma injection of the sphenopalatine ganglion at 6 months.

PLATELET-RICH PLASMA AS A NOVEL TREATMENT OF PAINFUL TRAUMATIC TRIGEMINAL NEUROPATHY (PTTN)-SIX MONTH RESULTS