Efficacy and Safety of Irregular Pulsed Radiofrequency (Sluijter-Teixera Poisson) Versus Regular Pulsed Radiofrequency to the Gasserian Ganglion for Treatment of Primary Trigeminal Neuralgia

NCT ID: NCT07275229

Last Updated: 2025-12-31

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

Get a concise snapshot of the trial, including recruitment status, study phase, enrollment targets, and key timeline milestones.

Recruitment Status

NOT_YET_RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

62 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-12-31

Study Completion Date

2027-04-30

Brief Summary

Review the sponsor-provided synopsis that highlights what the study is about and why it is being conducted.

This study aims to compare between the Efficacy and safety of irregular pulsed radiofrequency STP versus regular pulsed radiofrequency to the gasserian ganglion for treatment of primary trigeminal neuralgia.

Detailed Description

Dive into the extended narrative that explains the scientific background, objectives, and procedures in greater depth.

Trigeminal neuralgia is a severe pain condition characterized by transient, paroxysmal, electric shock-like pain occurring in areas supplied by the trigeminal nerve. The incidence of trigeminal neuralgia increases with advancing age and has a substantial negative impact on quality of life, often leading to psychological distress.

Pharmacological therapy represents the primary treatment modality for most patients with trigeminal neuralgia. Surgical and interventional procedures, including microvascular decompression, partial sensory rhizotomy, radiofrequency therapy, glycerol rhizolysis, balloon compression, and gamma knife surgery, are generally reserved for patients who are resistant or intolerant to medical treatment. Each of these modalities has specific advantages and limitations, and no single ideal surgical treatment has been established.

Pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) is considered one of the least destructive neuromodulation techniques. It stimulates the gasserian ganglion using pulsed electrical current while maintaining tissue temperature below 42°C. The pulsed current is delivered intermittently, allowing heat dissipation and minimizing neural tissue damage. Patients who respond favorably to PRF often experience significant improvement in pain and quality of life; however, conventional PRF has been associated with limited efficacy and a shorter duration of pain relief compared to continuous radiofrequency techniques.

Several modifications have been introduced to enhance PRF effectiveness, including adjustments in output voltage and pulse delivery parameters. Despite these modifications, achieving an optimal balance between efficacy and safety remains challenging.

The Slijter-Teixeira Poisson (STP) mode of pulsed radiofrequency utilizes a Poisson distribution pattern for energy delivery, allowing pulses to be more evenly and precisely distributed. This approach aims to optimize therapeutic outcomes while minimizing heat generation and tissue injury. The STP mode provides shorter pulse widths and a higher coefficient of variance, which may enhance treatment effectiveness without increasing neurodestructive effects.

Accordingly, this study is designed to compare the efficacy and safety of regular pulsed radiofrequency and STP-mode pulsed radiofrequency applied to the gasserian ganglion in patients with primary trigeminal neuralgia.

Conditions

See the medical conditions and disease areas that this research is targeting or investigating.

Trigeminal Neuralgia

Keywords

Explore important study keywords that can help with search, categorization, and topic discovery.

radiofreqency for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia

Study Design

Understand how the trial is structured, including allocation methods, masking strategies, primary purpose, and other design elements.

Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

SUPPORTIVE_CARE

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Participants

Study Groups

Review each arm or cohort in the study, along with the interventions and objectives associated with them.

Irregular pulsed radiofrequency STP group

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Irregular pulsed Radiofrequency

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

irregular pulsed radiofrequency applied to gasserian ganglion for primary trigeminal neuralgia

Regular pulsed radiofrequency group

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Regular pulsed Radiofrequency

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Regular pulsed radiofrequency applied to gasserian ganglion for primary trigeminal neuralgia

Interventions

Learn about the drugs, procedures, or behavioral strategies being tested and how they are applied within this trial.

Irregular pulsed Radiofrequency

irregular pulsed radiofrequency applied to gasserian ganglion for primary trigeminal neuralgia

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Regular pulsed Radiofrequency

Regular pulsed radiofrequency applied to gasserian ganglion for primary trigeminal neuralgia

Intervention Type PROCEDURE

Eligibility Criteria

Check the participation requirements, including inclusion and exclusion rules, age limits, and whether healthy volunteers are accepted.

Inclusion Criteria

* Clinical diagnosis of primary trigeminal neuralgia according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition (ICHD-3)
* Age between 18 and 75 years
* Severe trigeminal neuralgia not adequately relieved by conservative medical therapy, including carbamazepine or oxcarbazepine
* Numeric Rating Scale (NRS-11) pain score of 7 or higher prior to the procedure
* Ability and willingness to provide written informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

* Secondary trigeminal neuralgia, including trigeminal neuralgia attributed to space-occupying lesions or multiple sclerosis
* Infection at the puncture site
* History of psychiatric disease
* Clinically significant abnormalities in routine laboratory tests, including hepatic, renal, or coagulation function, or abnormalities on electrocardiogram or chest X-ray
* Serious systemic diseases, including uncontrolled hypertension or diabetes mellitus, or cardiac dysfunction classified as New York Heart Association class II-III
* History of narcotic substance abuse
* Previous treatment with continuous radiofrequency to the gasserian ganglion or peripheral branches, glycerol rhizolysis, balloon compression, gamma knife surgery, or other neuroablative procedures
* Previous microvascular decompression
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

75 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sponsors

Meet the organizations funding or collaborating on the study and learn about their roles.

Sohag University

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

Identify the individual or organization who holds primary responsibility for the study information submitted to regulators.

Ahmed Mamdouh Ahmed

Assistant lecture

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Learn about the lead researchers overseeing the trial and their institutional affiliations.

Khaled A Mohamed, assistant professor

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Sohag University

Central Contacts

Reach out to these primary contacts for questions about participation or study logistics.

Ahmed M Ahmed, assistant lecturer

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 0201097988603

Email: [email protected]

Ahmed M Elhalwagy, lecturer

Role: CONTACT

Other Identifiers

Review additional registry numbers or institutional identifiers associated with this trial.

soh-Med-25-11-4MD

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id