Deep Brain Stimulation for Refractory Trigeminal Neuralgia with a Pontine Lesion

Université de Sherbrooke

Status and phase: Enrolling; Phase 1

Conditions: Trigeminal Neuralgia

Treatments: Device: Deep brain stimulation

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05451251

2025-4672

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of deep brain stimulation for refractory trigeminal neuralgia due to a pontine lesion, as is usually seen in the context of multiple sclerosis.

These patients usually have severe intractable facial pain and current medical and surgical options generally fail to achieve long lasting pain relief.

Hoping to improve pain control in this population, the investigators of this trial propose a novel technique consisting of implanting a deep brain stimulation lead within the pontine lesion to modulate the generation of pain signals.

Enrollment: 6 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Adults of at least 18 years old
• Refractory trigeminal neuralgia : failure of at least 3 drugs and at least two lesioning surgical interventions (radiosurgery, percutaneous rhizotomy, or open rhizotomy).
• Pontine lesion proved by MRI in contact with trigeminal nerve tract

Exclusion criteria

• Absolute contraindication to MRI
• Medical contraindication to the procedure

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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6 participants in 1 patient group

Deep brain stimulation

Experimental group

Description:

Implantation of deep brain stimulation lead within the pontine lesion

Treatment:

Device: Deep brain stimulation