[Sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation in the treatment of chronic refractory cluster headache. A preliminary multicenter study in Russia].

OBJECTIVE:To analyze the results of sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation in treatment of chronic headache. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Medical histories of patients who underwent sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation in 4 clinical centers have been analyzed. The analysis included the type of pain and its characteristics, methods of surgery, CT, MRI, radiography before and after surgery. The follow-up data of patients with implanted pulse generators was collected in an outpatient clinic or by telephone review. RESULTS:The study included 15 patients with chronic refractory headache, including 14 with cluster headache and one female patient with features of trigeminal autonomic cephalgia without a clear definition of the type of pain. Trial stimulation was performed in 10 patients to determine analgesic effect. Among them stimulation was favorable in 7 cases, and 6 of them underwent pulse generator implantation. In total, 11 (73%) patients underwent implantation with a follow-up from 1 to 60 months. Among them only 6 (54%) patients use stimulation, the remaining 5 (46%) cases had device-related complications (migration, infection of system). Cluster headache has a significant improvement in long-term follow-up. CONCLUSIONS:Sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation may have high potential in the treatment of chronic drug-resistant cluster headache. The complication rate demonstrates that operative technique should be improved.