Surgical Management of Migraine Headaches: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to systematically review and analyze the available evidence on the role of surgery in improving outcomes in patients with migraine headaches.
METHODS: An electronic search of PubMed, Scopus, CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), and Google Scholar databases was performed for English-language articles reporting results of peripheral nerve surgery for migraine headaches.
RESULTS: The search strategy revealed a total of 1528 records, of which 23 studies were included in the review. A total of 1151 headache patients were treated in the included studies. The trigger site of migraine addressed varied across studies. Meta-analysis of data of 616 patients revealed that migraine surgery significantly reduces migraine headache frequency (random: mean, 9.52; 95% confidence interval, 7.14-11.9; P < 0.00001; I = 94%). Similarly, when data of 797 patients were analyzed, there was statistically significant reduction in migraine headache intensity in patients undergoing migraine headache surgery (random: mean, 3.97; 95% confidence interval, 3.31-4.62; P < 0.00001; I = 94%). On pooling of data of all 23 studies, 8.3% to 76.4% of patients reported complete elimination of headache after surgery, whereas 3.9% to 33.3% had no relief.
CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral nerve decompression surgery is highly effective in reducing migraine headache frequency and migraine headache intensity. However, not all patients benefit from the surgical…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a meta-analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid. Reported size: 1,151 participants or records.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Calcium Ions in the Physiology and Pathology of the Central Nervous System
- AI-powered in silico twins: redefining precision medicine through simulation, personalization, and predictive healthcare
- In silico functional, structural and pathogenicity analysis of missense single nucleotide polymorphisms in human MCM6 gene
- In Silico drug repurposing pipeline using deep learning and structure based approaches in epilepsy
- Targeting serotonin receptors with phytochemicals – an in-silico study
- In silico exploration of anti-prostate cancer compounds from differential expressed genes
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.