Retrospective Study
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World J Clin Cases. Aug 16, 2014; 2(8): 351-356
Published online Aug 16, 2014. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v2.i8.351
Intracerebroventricular opiate infusion for refractory head and facial pain
Darrin J Lee, Gene G Gurkoff, Amir Goodarzi, J Paul Muizelaar, James E Boggan, Kiarash Shahlaie
Darrin J Lee, Gene G Gurkoff, Amir Goodarzi, J Paul Muizelaar, James E Boggan, Kiarash Shahlaie, Department of Neurological Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95817, United States
Author contributions: Lee DJ, Muizelaar JP, Boggan JE and Shahlaie K contributed to substantial contributions to concept/design, acquisition of data, analysis of data, drafting/revising article, approval of final version; Gurkoff GG and Goodarzi A contributed to substantial contributions to analysis of data, drafting/revising article, approval of final version.
Correspondence to: Kiarash Shahlaie, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Neurological Surgery, School of Medicine, University of California, 4860 Y Street, Suite 3740 Sacramento, Davis, CA 95817, United States. kiarash.shahlaie@ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
Telephone: +1-916-7346342 Fax: +1-916-7345006
Received: December 17, 2013
Revised: June 6, 2014
Accepted: June 27, 2014
Published online: August 16, 2014
Processing time: 260 Days and 19.6 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: Chronic head and face pain remains a debilitating condition, and patients may often be refractory to traditional medical therapies or surgical intervention (i.e., stereotactic radiosurgery or microvascular decompression). Alternatively, the use of intracerebroventricular (ICV) pain pumps has been used for refractory nociceptive pain from head and neck cancer; however, its use in non-cancer head and face pain has not been well described. Here, we report the potential risks and benefits of ICV opiate pain pumps for cluster headaches and trigeminal neuralgia refractory to medical and surgical treatment.