GMC Baramulla introduces advanced procedure for patients suffering from severe facial pain

Baramulla, Nov 6: Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla has introduced an advanced interventional pain-management procedure, Gasserian ganglion ablation, offering a new treatment option for patients suffering from severe facial pain caused by trigeminal neuralgia.

The procedure is aimed at patients who fail to respond adequately to conventional medication or experience significant side effects from prolonged drug treatment.

Trigeminal neuralgia is a chronic nerve disorder characterised by sudden, intense, electric shock-like pain, usually affecting one side of the face. Even routine activities such as eating, speaking, brushing teeth or touching the face can trigger excruciating episodes, severely affecting patients' quality of life.

DrOvais, Assistant Professor in the Department of Anaesthesia at GMC Baramulla, said the introduction of the procedure would provide significant relief to patients suffering from the debilitating condition.

He said many patients remained unaware of specialised treatment options and continued to rely on medication and other pain-management therapies that sometimes failed to provide lasting relief.

DrOvaisemphasised the need to create awareness about trigeminal neuralgia and the availability of advanced interventions at GMC Baramulla.

He said the facility would particularly benefit patients who otherwise had to travel outside north Kashmir to access specialised pain-management services.

Recently, doctors at the medical college successfully performed the procedure on an approximately 80-year-old man who had been suffering from severe facial pain for nearly eight years.

The pain, predominantly affecting his lower jaw, had become increasingly debilitating over the past year, making even routine activities difficult.

The patient had initially been prescribed carbamazepine and other medications but discontinued treatment due to inadequate pain relief and adverse drug effects.

Mistaking the condition for a dental problem, he also underwent multiple tooth extractions without experiencing any significant improvement.

His condition eventually deteriorated to the extent that even a gentle touch or a breeze of air across his face triggered severe pain.

"He had to wear a mask throughout the day and night to avoid such triggers," DrOvais said.

Following a detailed evaluation at the GMC Baramulla Pain Clinic, the patient was diagnosed with classical trigeminal neuralgia.

Considering the prolonged symptoms and inadequate response to medical treatment, doctors decided to perform fluoroscopy-guided Gasserian ganglion ablation.

The intervention was carried out as a day-care procedure. The patient was kept under observation for four hours following the intervention and subsequently discharged without any immediate complications.

Gasserian ganglion ablation is an interventional pain-management technique that targets the nerve pathways responsible for transmitting facial pain.

Using fluoroscopic imaging for guidance, specialists access the Gasserianganglion, a cluster of nerve cells associated with the trigeminal nerve, and apply a controlled intervention to disrupt abnormal pain signals.

The procedure is considered for appropriately selected patients whose symptoms remain inadequately controlled despite medication or who experience significant adverse effects from prolonged drug treatment.

Doctors said early diagnosis and appropriate medical intervention were important to prevent prolonged suffering and improve the quality of life of patients.

With the introduction of the procedure, GMC Baramulla aims to strengthen its specialised pain-management services and make advanced treatment options accessible to patients closer to their homes.

Doctors have advised people experiencing recurrent episodes of severe, electric shock-like pain on one side of the face to seek medical evaluation instead of repeatedly attributing the symptoms to dental problems.