Clinical outcomes of partial sensory root rhizotomy on patients with recurrence of multiple sclerosing trigeminal neuralgia after percutaneous balloon compression

•The effective rates of PSR for patients with recurrence of TN-MS after PBC at 1 day, 6 months, 12 months and 18 months after operation were 100%, 100%, 95% and 81%, respectively.•The VAS scores of TN-MS patients after PBC/PSR were significantly lower than those before PBC/PSR (all P<0.05), and the VAS scores at 1 day, 6 months, 12 months and 18 months after PSR were lower than those after PBC (all P<0.05).•The postoperative recurrence rates at 6 months, 12 months and 18 months after PSR were significantly lower than those after PBC (all P<0.05).•After PSR, all 21 patients had facial sensation loss, and one patient had intracranial infection, and none occurred decrease in masticatory muscle strength, weakened corneal reflex, intracranial hemorrhage, facial paralysis and cerebrospinal fluid leakage.•PSR had a lower pain recurrence rate and a more significant reduction in VAS score compared with PBC, and it could be recommended to treat patients with recurrence of TN-MS after PBC.