Articles: neuralgia.
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Neuropathic pain and other pain disorders have received attention as potential indications for use of cannabis-based medicines or medical cannabis (CBM/MC). Evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of CBM/MC for pain disorders is, however, insufficient. Denmark introduced a pilot programme of medical cannabis in January 2018. We aimed to evaluate efficacy, safety, and non-specific effects of CBM/MC used under the pilot programme compared with controls. ⋯ Patients with neuropathic pain may benefit from treatment with cannabis-based medicines or medical cannabis (CBM/MC), particularly in terms of reduced use of gabapentin and fewer days admitted to hospitals, compared with propensity score matched controls. CBM/MC did not, however, reduce the use of opioids. We did not find evidence that CBM/MC were effective for patients with other pain disorders.
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Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a disease characterized by recurring, short-lived, electric shock-like pain experienced on one side of the face. Microvascular decompression (MVD) is one of the most effective surgical interventions for resolving TN caused by neurovascular compression. This study aimed to determine the predictive and prognostic factors of surgical outcomes. ⋯ In our study, atypical TN and severe venous compression were associated with poor outcomes. Regrouping atypical TN into precise diagnosis represents an immediate priority according to our result. The preoperative BNI score could be used as an effective predictive tool for the outcome of MVD surgery.