The jannetta procedure is a minimally invasive, outpatient surgery that can help you regain control of your life. It’s named after Dr. Jannetta, who developed the technique in the 1970s, and it has since become one of the most popular ways to treat trigeminal neuralgia.
Trigeminal neuralgia (also called TGN or TN) is a severe pain condition that affects around 50,000 people in the United States each year. It can be triggered by anything from brushing teeth to chewing food to talking or even blinking, and patients report experiencing excruciating pain that often feels like an electric shock or a needle being stuck into their face. While there are medications available to treat TN, many patients find that they aren’t able to manage their symptoms with medication alone—and unfortunately, some medications can actually make things worse for people with this condition.
The jannetta procedure targets the trigeminal nerve root where it exits from under your skull bone (mastoid bone) and redirects it so that it doesn’t have to pass through such a narrow space before reaching its destination: your brainstem. This allows the nerve to move freely without being compressed by surrounding bones or soft tissues, which means no more stabbing pains!