These procedures are used to treat trigeminal neuralgia, such as a rhizotomy. In a rhizotomy, your physician destroys nerve fibers to reduce pain, and this causes some facial numbness. Types of rhizotomy include:

• Radiofrequency thermal lesioning: With the help of fluoroscopy, a type of real-time continuous X-ray, a tiny needle is inserted into the side of the face after numbing it. After this, a test is performed to ensure that the needle has reached the desired location.A microelectrode is inserted into the hollow needle as part of the test, resulting in a tingling sensation and indicating that the appropriate treatment location has been identified.A radiofrequency current is then passed through the needle to heat the nerve segment that has been identified. The current will kill the nerve in that region, preventing it from relaying pain signals to the brain.This procedure often provides long lasting pain relief.However, some people have a later recurrence of pain, and many experience facial numbness or tingling.
• Glycerol injection: similar to the above procedure, instead of thermal lesioning your doctor will inject a small amount of sterile glycerol at the target area, which damages the trigeminal nerve and blocks pain signals.
• Balloon compression: In balloon compression, a hollow needle is inserted through your face and guided it to a part of your trigeminal nerve that goes through the base of your skull. Then, your doctor threads a thin, catheter with a balloon on the end through the needle. Your doctor inflates the balloon with enough pressure to damage the trigeminal nerve and block pain signal.