Posted by Bob Johnson (64.92.88.153) on June 29, 2001 at 11:51:08:
IN: Headache 1998 Sep;38(8):590-4
The surgical management of chronic cluster headache.
Lovely TJ, Kotsiakis X, Jannetta PJ.
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh (Penn) School of Medicine, USA.
OBJECTIVE: Chronic cluster headache occurs in less than 10% of cluster headache sufferers, but remains an intractable medical problem. Surgical treatments have also been limited in their effectiveness. The authors describe their experience with attempted surgical amelioration of chronic cluster headache. DESIGN: Twenty-eight patients, including two with bilateral cluster headache, underwent 39 operations for microvascular decompression of the trigeminal nerve, alone or in combination with section and/or microvascular decompression of the nervus intermedius. Follow-up averaged 5.3 years. RESULTS: Initial postoperative success described as 50% relief or greater was achieved in 22 (73.3%) of 30 first-time procedures and greater than 90% relief in half (15 of 30) of these. Long-term follow-up saw this success rate (excellent or good) drop to 46.6%. Repeat procedures have little success, with 7 of 8 failing at long-term follow-up. Morbidity and neurological deficit from the operations was minimal. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic cluster headache remains a debilitating and poorly controlled syndrome. Although various surgical treatments have had limited success, microvascular decompression of the trigeminal nerve with section of the nervus intermedius compares very favorably to other destructive techniques without the accompanying neurologic deficits. It is, therefore, our recommendation as the first-line operative treatment of chronic cluster headache.
PMID: 11398301 [PubMed - in process]
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IN: Curr Opin Neurol 2001 Jun;14(3):315-21
Nitric oxide in primary headaches.
Thomsen LL, Olesen J.
aDepartment of Neurology, The Lundbeck Institute, Skodsborg, Denmark, and bCopenhagen Headache Center, Department of Neurology, Glostrup University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark.
The molecular mechanisms that underlie the primary headaches-migraine, cluster headache and tension-type headache-have not yet been clarified. On the basis of studies in headache induced by intravenous infusions of glyceryl trinitrate (an exogenous nitric oxide donor) and histamine (which liberates nitric oxide from vascular endothelium), it has been suggested that nitric oxide is a likely candidate responsible molecule. The present review deals with the biology of this small messenger molecule, and the updated scientific evidence that suggests a key role for this molecule in primary headaches. This evidence suggests that the release of nitric oxide from blood vessels, perivascular nerve endings or from brain tissue is an important molecular trigger mechanism in spontaneous headache pain. Pilot trials have shown efficacy of a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor in both migraine attacks and chronic tension-type headache. These observations suggest new approaches to the pharmacological treatment of headache.
PMID: 11371754 [PubMed - in process]
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IN: Neurology 2001 May 8;56(9):1233-6
Increased familial risk of cluster headache.
Leone M, Russell MB, Rigamonti A, Attanasio A, Grazzi L, D'Amico D, Usai S, Bussone G.
Carlo Besta National Neurological Institute, Milan, Italy.
The authors studied the occurrence of cluster headache in the families of 220 Italian patients with cluster headache. A positive family history was found in 20% (44/220) of the families. Compared with the general population, first-degree relatives had a 39-fold significantly increased risk of cluster headache. Second-degree relatives had an eightfold significantly increased risk. The increased familial risk strongly supports the hypothesis that cluster headache has a genetic component in some families.
PMID: 11342697 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]