External carotid artery fistula due to microcompression of the gasserian ganglion for relief of trigeminal neuralgia. Case report.
Vascular complications after percutaneous injection procedures for relief of trigeminal neuralgia are varied, ranging from puncture of arterial or venous structures to carotid-cavernous fistulas. The authors present a patient in whom an external carotid artery fistula occurred after a microcompression procedure for the treatment of a left-sided trigeminal neuralgia. This is believed to be the first case of this complication secondary to a percutaneous injection procedure for relief of facial pain.