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Anatomical measurements of trigeminal ganglion: a cadaver study

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Abstract

It is difficult to obtain specific information regarding the trigeminal ganglion (TG), especially pediatric TG. The aim of present study was to determine the parameters of the TG and assist in the neuroablative treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Thirty-seven sides of cadaver heads that had undergone gross anatomical examination were included, with 29 sides of adults and 8 sides of infants. The distance and angles were measured among 12 points, with nine points adjacent to the TG and three points on the foramen ovale (FO). The three points on FO were represented as three different surgical approaches for TN: posterior FO approach (PFO), lateral FO approach (LFO), and anterior FO approach (AFO). A high similarity was found in pediatric TG. No statistical difference was detected in either the distance or the angles between the 12 points. Statistical difference was found in adult heads in some of the distances, which included PFO to point 5 (17.97 ± 3.35 mm in the left and 15.52 ± 2.28 mm in the right; p = 0.03) and LFO to point 5 and point 8. Moreover, the angle for PFO to point 5 showed a statistically significant difference (60.10 ± 14.02 in the left and 46.63 ± 10.48 in the right; p = 0.01). These findings revealed that surgical neuroablation for patients with TN should be performed more carefully when the PFO or LFO approach is adopted, with a precise preoperative evaluation to avoid corneal complications. Two safety radiofrequency rhizotomy points are also presented to deal with two different kinds of TN.

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Acknowledgements

The authors sincerely thank those who donated their bodies to science, so that anatomical research could be performed. Results from such research can potentially increase mankind's overall knowledge that can then improve patient care. Therefore, these donors and their families deserve our highest gratitude. We would also like to thank Chongjun Xu, Junbiao Wang, Tong Zhou, etc., who are MBBS students in the 2021 batch from the Tarim University School of Medicine and helped with the dissection & measurement.

Funding

This study was partially funded by the President program of Tarim University under Grant No. TDZKSS202237.

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Author notes

  1. Xiang Zhang and Yong Bai have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anatomy, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, 650500, China

    Xiang Zhang, Yong Bai & Ping Wang

  2. Department of Anatomy, Tarim University School of Medicine, #705, Hongqiao South RD, Alar, 843300, China

    Jianfei Hou, Wenbin Chen, Longjin Zi & Ping Wang

  3. Department of Radiology, China–Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130032, China

    Kailiang Cheng

Authors
  1. Xiang Zhang
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  4. Wenbin Chen
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  5. Kailiang Cheng
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  6. Longjin Zi
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Contributions

XZ, YB, and PW: conceptualization, methodology, writing—original draft, formal analysis, and investigation. JH, WC, and LZ: methodology, visualization, resources, and investigation. KC: writing, reviewing and editing, and visualization.

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Correspondence to Ping Wang.

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Zhang, X., Bai, Y., Hou, J. et al. Anatomical measurements of trigeminal ganglion: a cadaver study. Anat Sci Int 99, 98–105 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12565-023-00740-8

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