Why carry out this study?

Percutaneous balloon compression (PBC) is an effective therapy for patients with primary trigeminal neuralgia.

The key of PBC is to obtain a pear-like shaped balloon and proper intraluminal balloon pressure.

Over-compression is associated with a greater risk of complications, however, insufficient intraluminal pressure may contribute to the failure of surgery. Can we predict the target pressure during PBC when a pear-shaped balloon appears?

What was learned from the study?

Narrow foramen ovale was correlated with lower intraluminal pressure when a pear-shaped balloon was obtained.

Preoperative assessment of the foramen ovale may be useful in predicting the intraluminal pressure during PBC.