Decompression of the greater occipital nerve improves outcome in patients with chronic headache and neck pain — a retrospective cohort study
Eskilsson, Anja LU ; Ageberg, Eva LU
; Ericson, Hans
; Marklund, Niklas
LU
and Anderberg, Leif
LU
(2021)
In Acta Neurochirurgica
163(9).
p.2425-2433
- Abstract
Background: Compression of the greater occipital nerve (GON) may contribute to chronic headache, neck pain, and migraine in a subset of patients. We aimed to evaluate whether GON decompression could reduce pain and improve quality of life in patients with occipital neuralgia and chronic headache and neck pain. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, selected patients with neck pain and headache referred to a single neurosurgical center were analyzed. Patients (n = 22) with suspected GON neuralgia based on nerve block or clinical criteria were included. All patients presented with occipital pain spreading frontally and to the neck in various degree. Surgical decompression was performed under local anesthesia. Follow-up was made by... (More)
Background: Compression of the greater occipital nerve (GON) may contribute to chronic headache, neck pain, and migraine in a subset of patients. We aimed to evaluate whether GON decompression could reduce pain and improve quality of life in patients with occipital neuralgia and chronic headache and neck pain. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, selected patients with neck pain and headache referred to a single neurosurgical center were analyzed. Patients (n = 22) with suspected GON neuralgia based on nerve block or clinical criteria were included. All patients presented with occipital pain spreading frontally and to the neck in various degree. Surgical decompression was performed under local anesthesia. Follow-up was made by an assessor not involved in the treatment of the patients, by telephone 2–5 years after the surgical procedure and an interview protocol was used to collect information. The data from the follow-up protocols were then analyzed and reported. Results: When analyzing the follow-up protocols, decreased headache/migraine was reported in 77% and neck pain was reduced in 55% of the patients. Conclusions: Decompression of GON(s) may reduce neck pain and headache in selected patients with persistent headache, neck pain, and clinical signs of GON neuralgia. Based on the limitations of the present retrospective study, the results should be considered with caution.
(Less)
- author
- Eskilsson, Anja
LU
; Ageberg, Eva
LU
; Ericson, Hans
; Marklund, Niklas
LU
and Anderberg, Leif
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2021
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Decompression, Greater occipital nerve, Headache, Neuralgia, Surgery
- in
- Acta Neurochirurgica
- volume
- 163
- issue
- 9
- pages
- 9 pages
- publisher
- Springer
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:34195861
- scopus:85108994657
- ISSN
- 0001-6268
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00701-021-04913-0
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 6fde02ed-64f7-4a92-8edb-95046884a449
- date added to LUP
- 2021-12-15 15:23:52
- date last changed
- 2025-01-26 21:48:37
@article{6fde02ed-64f7-4a92-8edb-95046884a449,
abstract = {{<p>Background: Compression of the greater occipital nerve (GON) may contribute to chronic headache, neck pain, and migraine in a subset of patients. We aimed to evaluate whether GON decompression could reduce pain and improve quality of life in patients with occipital neuralgia and chronic headache and neck pain. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, selected patients with neck pain and headache referred to a single neurosurgical center were analyzed. Patients (n = 22) with suspected GON neuralgia based on nerve block or clinical criteria were included. All patients presented with occipital pain spreading frontally and to the neck in various degree. Surgical decompression was performed under local anesthesia. Follow-up was made by an assessor not involved in the treatment of the patients, by telephone 2–5 years after the surgical procedure and an interview protocol was used to collect information. The data from the follow-up protocols were then analyzed and reported. Results: When analyzing the follow-up protocols, decreased headache/migraine was reported in 77% and neck pain was reduced in 55% of the patients. Conclusions: Decompression of GON(s) may reduce neck pain and headache in selected patients with persistent headache, neck pain, and clinical signs of GON neuralgia. Based on the limitations of the present retrospective study, the results should be considered with caution.</p>}},
author = {{Eskilsson, Anja and Ageberg, Eva and Ericson, Hans and Marklund, Niklas and Anderberg, Leif}},
issn = {{0001-6268}},
keywords = {{Decompression; Greater occipital nerve; Headache; Neuralgia; Surgery}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{9}},
pages = {{2425--2433}},
publisher = {{Springer}},
series = {{Acta Neurochirurgica}},
title = {{Decompression of the greater occipital nerve improves outcome in patients with chronic headache and neck pain — a retrospective cohort study}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00701-021-04913-0}},
doi = {{10.1007/s00701-021-04913-0}},
volume = {{163}},
year = {{2021}},
}