====== Refractory Chronic Cluster Headache Treatment ====== Patients unresponsive to medical therapy may require advanced interventions. ==== a. Neuromodulation ==== * **Occipital Nerve Stimulation (ONS):** * Electrodes implanted near the occipital nerve to reduce attack frequency. * **Sphenopalatine Ganglion Stimulation:** * Device implantation via the upper gum to stimulate the ganglion. * **Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS):** * Targets include the **Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA)** or **posterior hypothalamus**. * Reserved for highly refractory cases. ==== b. Other Surgical Interventions ==== * **Gamma Knife Radiosurgery:** Focused radiation targeting pain pathways. * **Trigeminal Nerve Destruction:** Surgical destruction (e.g., balloon compression). ---- In 2019 Antony et al. compiled and discussed the current evidence available in treating head and facial pain. The strongest evidence for neuromodulation is for occipital nerve stimulation for migraine, [[vagus nerve stimulation for cluster headache]] and for migraine, [[sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation for cluster headache]], and transcutaneous supraorbital and supratrochlear nerve stimulation for migraine. In addition, there is moderate evidence for occipital nerve stimulation in treating [[occipital neuralgia]] ((Antony AB, Mazzola AJ, Dhaliwal GS, Hunter CW. Neurostimulation for the Treatment of Chronic Head and Facial Pain: A Literature Review. Pain Physician. 2019 Sep;22(5):447-477. PubMed PMID: 31561646. )) ---- In 2017 Láinez and Guillamón stated that [[DBS]] has good results, but it is a more invasive technique and can generate serious adverse events. [[Occipital nerve stimulation]] (ONS) has good results, but frequent and no serious adverse events. [[Sphenopalatine Ganglion Stimulation]] (SPGS) is also efficacious in the acute and prophylactic treatment of refractory [[cluster headache]]. At this moment, ONS and SPG stimulation techniques are recommended as first-line therapy in refractory cluster patients. New recent non-invasive approaches such as the non-invasive [[Vagus nerve stimulation]] have shown efficacy in a few trials and could be an interesting alternative in the management of CH, but require more testing and positive randomized controlled trials ((Láinez MJ, Guillamón E. Cluster headache and other TACs: Pathophysiology and neurostimulation options. Headache. 2017 Feb;57(2):327-335. doi: 10.1111/head.12874. Epub 2016 Aug 4. Review. PubMed PMID: 28128461. )) and conduct basic research in order to clarify the [[mechanism of action]] ((Láinez MJ, Jensen R. Noninvasive neuromodulation in cluster headache. Curr Opin Neurol. 2015 Jun;28(3):271-6. doi: 10.1097/WCO.0000000000000196. Review. PubMed PMID: 25887771. )). ===== Occipital nerve stimulation for cluster headache ===== see [[Occipital nerve stimulation for cluster headache]]. ===== Sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation for cluster headache ===== see [[Sphenopalatine ganglion stimulation for cluster headache]]. ===== Vagus nerve stimulation for cluster headache ===== see [[Vagus nerve stimulation for cluster headache]]. ===== Deep brain stimulation for cluster headache ===== see [[Deep brain stimulation for cluster headache]]. ===== Cluster headache treatment procedures in Spain ===== [[Cluster headache treatment procedures in Spain]]. ===== References =====