Prepare for a Procedure

Rhizotomy and Microvascular Decompression
Gamma Knife Radiosurgery

Rhizotomy and Microvascular Decompression

About a week prior to your procedure, you will need to get a pre-operative evaluation by your primary care doctor or by a doctor in the Johns Hopkins Outpatient Center. The trigeminal neuralgia team will provide you with instructions on how to schedule this.

Because your procedure will involve anesthesia, please do not take anything by mouth after midnight the night before your procedure. If you have been instructed by your Johns Hopkins surgeon to take any medications, however, you should do so. It is also important to note that you do not have to stop taking your trigeminal neuralgia pain medication prior to your surgery.

On the day of your procedure, you will report to the Same Day Care Center, located on the seventh floor of the Osler building. If you are receiving a microvascular decompression, please make sure to bring your MRI scan with you. You will be taken to the pre-operative area, where a member of our team will provide you with a gown, insert your IV and help you get comfortable. Your head will be marked to note the correct side of pain prior to entering the operating room. When the surgeon is ready to begin the procedure, you will be taken to the operating room.

Gamma Knife Radiosurgery

You will meet the Gamma Knife team during your initial visit to be evaluated for a Gamma Knife procedure. At that time your suitability for Gamma Knife treatment will be discussed. If you are a candidate and wish to proceed, the team will discuss with you how a Gamma Knife procedure is performed and what to expect before, during and after your treatment. As general anesthesia is not required, further preoperative evaluation by an anesthesiologist is not necessary.

You will be instructed not to eat or drink after midnight the day before your procedure but you may take your medications with a sip of water. The morning of your procedure you will take a light sedative before presenting to the Gamma Knife suite early in the morning to begin your treatment.