Korean Journal of Pain最新文献

{"title":"Aggrecan and small leucine-rich proteoglycan fragments correlate with Toll-like receptor-2 mediated inflammation in painful degenerative disc disease.","authors":"Polly Lama, Binod Kr Tamang, Jerina Tiwari, Sagnik Chakraborty, Sukriti Chauhan, Michael A Adams","doi":"10.3344/kjp.25417","DOIUrl":"10.3344/kjp.25417","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Painful intervertebral disc degeneration is a leading cause of chronic low back pain. Proteolytic cleavage fragments of extracellular matrix components, particularly aggrecan and small leucine-rich proteoglycans (SLRPs), may act as endogenous danger signals activating inflammatory pathways. To determine whether proteolytic fragments of aggrecan and SLRPs correlate with disc degeneration severity and Toll-like receptor-2 (TLR-2) mediated inflammation.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Human disc tissues were analysed from 20 non-degenerated cadaveric controls (Thompson Grades 1-2) and 35 patients with painful degeneration (Pfirrmann Grades 3-5). Western blotting assessed fragmentation of aggrecan and SLRPs (decorin, biglycan, lumican, fibromodulin, chondroadherin). Immunofluorescence localized these molecules in disc sections. Disc cells were cultured under four conditions: unstimulated controls, TLR-2 agonist Pam2CSK4-stimulated controls, cells extracted from degenerated discs, and those treated with the TLR-2 antagonist MMG-11. Cytokine profiles were determined using antibody array.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Fragmented peptides of aggrecan and SLRPs (22-45 kDa) were predominantly detected in Pfirrmann Grades 4 and 5 discs. TLR-2 expression was significantly higher in degenerated disc cells versus controls (<i>P</i> < 0.001), further upregulated by Pam2CSK4 and attenuated by MMG-11. Cytokine analysis revealed marked pro-inflammatory shifts in patient discs (interleukin [IL]-6 ↑1.37×, IL-8 ↑1.30×, IL-1β ↑1.25×), while control discs exhibited an anabolic profile with elevated expressions of growth factors (TGF-β, EGF, VEGF).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Aggrecan and SLRP fragments were observed alongside TLR-2 mediated inflammatory responses in advanced disc degeneration, suggesting a potential association with tissue catabolism. Targeting TLR-2 signaling may warrant further investigations as a potential therapeutic strategy for painful disc disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":56252,"journal":{"name":"Korean Journal of Pain","volume":" ","pages":"330-343"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13328043/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148229347","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Beyond opioid dosage: temporal dynamics of intravenous patient-controlled analgesia use captured by electronic device logs-a post hoc analysis of three randomized controlled trials.","authors":"Sooah Cho, Soo-Hyuk Yoon, Ho-Jin Lee","doi":"10.3344/kjp.25376","DOIUrl":"10.3344/kjp.25376","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) is widely used for postoperative pain management. However, its temporal usage pattern remains poorly characterized.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This secondary analysis included 332 patients from three randomized controlled trials investigating postoperative analgesia following robot-assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy, video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery, and minimally invasive distal gastrectomy (MIDG). Each trial compared two analgesic strategies, yielding six groups. Only the conventional MIDG group received IV-PCA alone without multimodal analgesia. Hourly fentanyl-based IV-PCA consumption and bolus attempts were obtained from electronic device logs. The primary outcome was the first time when 75% of patients reached an hourly IV-PCA consumption of ≤ 20 μg fentanyl/hr, predefined as the low-utilization threshold. The secondary outcomes included the first time when 75% of patients reached a bolus attempt rate ≤ 1/hr, temporal trajectories of PCA use, delivery-to-demand ratio, and correlations between pain scores and cumulative opioid consumption.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The low-utilization threshold was reached within 6-8 hours by 75% of patients in all groups, except for the conventional MIDG group. Similarly, bolus attempts declined to ≤ 1/hr after 7-9 hours postoperatively, again excluding the opioid-only group. Delivery-to-demand ratio was the lowest immediately after surgery and increased over time, showing higher values with multimodal analgesia. Pain intensity correlated significantly, but only weakly, with PCA consumption (r = 0.16-0.24, <i>P</i> < 0.05 for all comparisons).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Fentanyl-based IV-PCA use declined rapidly, indicating that its benefit is largely confined to the early postoperative phase and that its duration can be shortened when multimodal analgesia is well established.</p>","PeriodicalId":56252,"journal":{"name":"Korean Journal of Pain","volume":" ","pages":"383-396"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13327954/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148044467","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamic coupling of emotion and pain: from perception to affective response.","authors":"Nastaran Roshd Rashidi, Masoumeh Gholami, Sanaz Tavassoti, Masoumeh Kourosh-Arami, Tayebeh Vali, Amin Adeli Lord","doi":"10.3344/kjp.25410","DOIUrl":"10.3344/kjp.25410","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Pain is a complex experience serving as a protective response to actual or potential tissue damage. Although perceived as a sensory phenomenon, pain integrates both sensory and emotional components, with perceptions varying based on socio-cultural, cognitive, and biological factors. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on how emotions mechanistically influence pain perception and processing. Emotion-pain coupling is examined across three levels: (1) neurobiological mechanisms involving descending pain modulation, limbic circuits, and neurotransmitter systems; (2) affective emotional processes including fear, anxiety, stress, positive affect, and motivation; and (3) three clinically relevant affective mechanistic phenotypes-fear avoidant, stress-sensitized, and anhedonic-that integrate emotional and pain profiles. The authors present practical assessment strategies for identifying these phenotypes in routine clinical settings and propose emotion regulation-informed interventions tailored to each phenotype. The framework aims to bridge neuroscience research and clinical practice by translating mechanistic understanding into actionable clinical approaches.</p>","PeriodicalId":56252,"journal":{"name":"Korean Journal of Pain","volume":"39 3","pages":"296-308"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13328045/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148354790","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of novel inflammatory markers, central sensitization, depression and anxiety in patients with juvenile fibromyalgia: single-center cross-sectional study.","authors":"Mustafa Tuna, Bilgehan Kolutek Ay","doi":"10.3344/kjp.25387","DOIUrl":"10.3344/kjp.25387","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study aimed to evaluate central sensitization, psychological symptoms, and systemic inflammatory markers in adolescents with juvenile fibromyalgia syndrome (JFMS) by comparing them with healthy controls and to examine the associations of these variables with JFMS.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A total of 84 adolescents were included: 42 patients diagnosed with JFMS and 42 healthy controls. The Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI) and Revised Children's Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) were administered to all participants. From blood samples of all participants, the Systemic Immune-Inflammation Index (SII) and Systemic Inflammatory Response Index (SIRI) were calculated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Body mass index, SII, and SIRI were significantly higher in the JFMS group compared with healthy controls (<i>P</i> = 0.029, <i>P</i> < 0.001, <i>P</i> = 0.003, respectively), while school attendance was significantly lower in patients with JFMS (<i>P</i> = 0.005). Adolescents with JFMS exhibited markedly higher levels of central sensitization, with mean CSI scores of 46.93 ± 18.59 compared to 16.02 ± 13.23 in healthy controls (<i>P</i> < 0.001). Psychological distress was also significantly increased in the JFMS group, as reflected by higher mean RCADS total scores (58.26 ± 28.56 vs. 22.14 ± 19.03, <i>P</i> < 0.001). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, higher SII levels and school absenteeism remained independently associated with JFMS.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>These findings indicate that adolescents with JFMS demonstrate higher systemic inflammatory indices, greater central sensitization, and increased psychological distress compared with controls. Higher SII levels and school absenteeism were independently associated with JFMS; however, due to the cross-sectional design, causality cannot be inferred.</p>","PeriodicalId":56252,"journal":{"name":"Korean Journal of Pain","volume":"39 3","pages":"409-420"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13328001/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148354859","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring the role of alpha-tocopherol in pain and inflammation: interplay with TRPV1, PKA, and PKC pathways.","authors":"Sahar Jaffal, Sawsan Oran","doi":"10.3344/kjp.25390","DOIUrl":"10.3344/kjp.25390","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) is a fat-soluble antioxidant with neuroprotective properties. There is a gap in research regarding the anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of alpha-tocopherol in different tests of nociception as well as its signaling pathways. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of alpha-tocopherol in vivo and examine the potential involvement of transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) and downstream kinase pathways, particularly protein kinases protein kinase A (PKA) and protein kinase C (PKC).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Male Swiss albino mice were used in acetic acid-induced writhing, immersion tail-flick, and hot-plate tests for nociception while male Wistar rats were used in carrageenan-induced paw edema assay for inflammation. Alpha-tocopherol (50 mg/kg, i.p.), alone or in combination with TRPV1 antagonist (capsazepine) or PKC/PKA inhibitors (Go 6976, H89, respectively) was administered, followed by conducting the behavioral tests. TRPV1 expression in brain and skin tissues was examined using immunohistochemistry.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Alpha-tocopherol significantly reduced writhing responses and extended heat latency in thermal tests. The TRPV1 was involved in the hot-plate and immersion tail-flick assays, while PKC and PKA pathways were implicated in the supraspinal analgesic effect (the hot plate test). Alpha-tocopherol (20 μg) did not exert any significant anti-inflammatory effect in the carrageenan model. Intense TRPV1 immunolabeling was observed in the alpha-tocopherol/ carrageenan condition, particularly in the skin.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Alpha-tocopherol possesses a strong anti-nociceptive effect through TRPV1 modulation via PKC/PKA-dependent mechanisms. These findings suggest that alpha-tocopherol can be used as an adjuvant in multimodal pain management protocols.</p>","PeriodicalId":56252,"journal":{"name":"Korean Journal of Pain","volume":" ","pages":"320-329"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13328044/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148229292","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Extracellular matrix fragments and Toll-like receptor-2: reinforcing the mechanistic bridge from disc degeneration to inflammation in human tissue.","authors":"Ki Tae Jung","doi":"10.3344/kjp.26234","DOIUrl":"10.3344/kjp.26234","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":56252,"journal":{"name":"Korean Journal of Pain","volume":"39 3","pages":"293-295"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13328002/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148354794","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effectiveness of ropivacaine-loaded ReproGel drug delivery system in a rat model of postoperative pain.","authors":"Hyo Jin Kim, Geun Joo Choi, Kyoung-Woon Joung, Hyun Kang","doi":"10.3344/kjp.25373","DOIUrl":"10.3344/kjp.25373","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Effective postoperative pain management is challenging because of adverse effects associated with traditional analgesic methods. Multimodal analgesia, targeting multiple pain pathways, offers improved pain relief while reducing side effects. The authors evaluated the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of the ReproGel drug delivery system (DDS) combined with ropivacaine in a rat model of postoperative pain.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Sixty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to four groups: sham treatment, ReproGel DDS, ropivacaine 0.375%, and ReproGel DDS + ropivacaine 0.375%. Mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) tests and rotarod assessments were conducted at baseline; at 30, 60, 90, 120, 180, and 240 minutes; at 24 and 48 hours; and at 1 week postoperatively. Blood samples were collected at 24, 48 hours, and 1 week to measure levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 before euthanasia.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The ReproGel DDS + ropivacaine group demonstrated significantly higher MWT values, demonstrating enhanced analgesia from 30 to 240 minutes postoperatively. Combination treatment with ReproGel demonstrated superior effectiveness at 240 minutes, outperforming ropivacaine alone, indicating a sustained analgesic effect. IL-1β and IL-6 levels were significantly reduced in groups receiving ropivacaine, particularly in the ReproGel DDS + ropivacaine group, at 24 and 48 hours postoperatively. No motor impairment was observed, confirming the safety of ReproGel DDS + ropivacaine in preserving motor function.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The combination of ReproGel DDS and ropivacaine 0.375% in a postoperative rat model offers prolonged analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects without motor impairment, positioning it as a safe and effective option for postoperative pain management.</p>","PeriodicalId":56252,"journal":{"name":"Korean Journal of Pain","volume":" ","pages":"309-319"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13328040/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147445666","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Pericapsular nerve group block combined with lateral femoral cutaneous nerve block <i>versus</i> fascia iliaca compartment block for hip surgery: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and trial sequential analysis.","authors":"Diogo Fonseca da Cunha, Vinicius Borges Alencar, João Paulo Aureliano de Carvalho, Pablo de Sousa Ferreira, Werlys Abade Oliveira, Lucas Bastos Silva Carvalho, Matheus Mariano Teles, Durval Campos Kraychete, Rodrigo Leal Alves","doi":"10.3344/kjp.26030","DOIUrl":"10.3344/kjp.26030","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The combination of the pericapsular nerve group (PENG) and lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN) blocks has been proposed as a motor-sparing alternative to the fascia iliaca compartment block (FICB) for analgesia after hip surgery. However, previous reviews were limited by insufficient data to draw definitive conclusions regarding this specific combination.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing PENG plus LFCN <i>versus</i> FICB. They searched PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Web of Science. Risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 tool. Data were synthesized using a random-effects model in accordance with PRISMA.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Six RCTs (442 patients) were included in the analysis. PENG + LFCN significantly reduced resting pain scores at 6 hours (mean difference [MD] -0.72; 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.28 to -0.16; <i>P</i> = 0.012) and at 24 hours (MD -0.91; 95% CI -1.59 to -0.23; <i>P</i> = 0.009) compared with FICB. The combined block also demonstrated superior preservation of motor function with higher quadriceps muscle strength grades at 6 hours (MD 1.10; <i>P</i> < 0.001) and 24 hours (MD 0.89; <i>P</i> = 0.012), and a lower incidence of muscle weakness at 6 hours (risk ratio 0.10; <i>P</i> = 0.005). The time to ambulation was significantly shorter. There was no significant difference in opioid consumption or in the incidence of nausea and vomiting.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>PENG plus LFCN provides superior analgesia and motor preservation compared with FICB, facilitating early ambulation and optimizing functional recovery.</p>","PeriodicalId":56252,"journal":{"name":"Korean Journal of Pain","volume":" ","pages":"434-447"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13328005/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148310646","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hypoalgesic effects, safety, and feasibility of a 6-minute high-lung-volume static apnea intervention.","authors":"Cristian Mendoza-Arranz, Guillermo Miravet-Mingo, José Fierro-Marrero, Álvaro Reina-Varona, Jose Vicente León-Hernández, Asier Sagarribay-Villano, Hugo García-Del Arco, Francisco De Asís-Fernández","doi":"10.3344/kjp.25130","DOIUrl":"10.3344/kjp.25130","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Repeated apneas may induce hypoalgesia, but the impact of high-lung-volume static apneas remains unexplored.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Eighty-one healthy participants were randomized into an apnea group (AG) or control group (CG). The AG performed a 6-minute static intermittent apnea at high lung volume, while the CG breathed normally in supine. Pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) at the thumb, tibialis anterior and the 7^th cervical vertebra (C7), along with heart rate (HR), oxygen saturation (SpO₂), and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), were recorded. Qualitative analysis assessed sensations, emotions, and adverse effects.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>ANCOVA showed no significant differences in PPT between groups in the thumb (mean difference [MD] = 0.306 kg/cm²; bias-corrected and accelerated [BCa] 95% confidence intervals [CI] = [-0.192, 0.775]; <i>P</i> = 0.215), tibialis (MD = 0.213 kg/cm²; BCa 95% CI = [-0.181, 0.629]; <i>P</i> = 0.303) and C7 (MD = 0.213 kg/cm²; BCa 95% CI = [-0.101, 0.543]; <i>P</i> = 0.190). No differences were found in SpO₂ (MD = 0.385%; <i>P</i> = 0.065). However, %HR_max (MD = 2.879%; <i>P</i> < 0.001), SBP (MD = 9.221 mmHg; <i>P</i> < 0.001) and DBP (MD = 6.604 mmHg; <i>P</i> < 0.001) were slightly higher in the AG. The AG presented greater distress-related sensations and emotions, while the CG reported more comfort-related experiences. AG presented with more, although mild, adverse effects.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>High-lung-volume static apneas showed no clear hypoalgesic effect and participants reported slightly greater discomfort. Further studies should explore the dose-effect relationships in healthy and clinical populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":56252,"journal":{"name":"Korean Journal of Pain","volume":" ","pages":"361-372"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13328078/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147678885","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The efficacy and prognosis analysis of radiofrequency thermocoagulation and percutaneous balloon compression for recurrent trigeminal neuralgia: a retrospective study.","authors":"Tao Meng, Kai Wang, Ming Tang, Xiaowen Lin","doi":"10.3344/kjp.25329","DOIUrl":"10.3344/kjp.25329","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) severely reduces quality of life and frequently recurs. Managing recurrent TN is challenging. Although radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT) and percutaneous balloon compression (PBC) are standard minimally invasive options, direct comparative evidence for their efficacy in recurrent TN is limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of RFT <i>versus</i> PBC for RFT recurrent TN.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A retrospective analysis of 174 patients with recurrent TN who had previously undergone RFT and required secondary intervention (RFT group, n = 99 or PBC group, n = 75) between January 1, 2020 and April 30, 2024. The Numeric Rating Scale score, recurrence-free survival rate, Barrow Neurological Institute facial numbness (BNI-N) score, and other complications were assessed before surgery and all postoperative follow-up time points.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>All patients achieved complete pain relief immediately following the procedure in both groups (<i>P</i> < 0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed significantly longer recurrence-free survival in the PBC group than in the RFT group (<i>P</i> < 0.0001). Comparative analysis revealed lower BNI-N scores in the RFT group at all assessment time points (<i>P</i> < 0.001). No severe complications were observed in either of the 2 groups.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Both repeat RFT and PBC can effectively provide short-term pain relief for patients with RFT recurrent TN. Compared to repeat RFT, PBC represents a preferable therapeutic option for long-term pain relief efficacy and lower recurrence rates at 1-year follow-up.</p>","PeriodicalId":56252,"journal":{"name":"Korean Journal of Pain","volume":" ","pages":"373-382"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13327910/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147935716","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}