Base on the hypothesis that low-temperature plasma radiofrequency ablation (LTP-RFA) is non-inferior to radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT) with concerning initial efficacy, this study proved LTP-RFA had noninferior efficacy for pain relief and supporting healthy masticatory function.

A randomized controlled trial aimed to examine the masticatory dysfunction following low- LTP-RFA and RFT ablation on trigeminal ganglion for idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia treatment. 

In this single-blind, parallel-group, noninferiority trial, 204 patients with idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia were divided into: LTP-RFA group where plasma ablation was used and RFT group where radiofrequency ablation was used, with random block sizes of 4 or 6.

Examination was done at starting (T₀), on day of discharge (T₁) and at 6 months (T₂). Clinical effective rate in the LTP-RFA group compared to RFT group following the intervention on T1 was the primary endpoint.  

LTP-RFA group had initial efficacy rate of 91.2% and RFT group had 93.1% as per the intention-to-treat analysis. Difference between these two groups displayed that LTP-RFA was non inferiority than RFT in initial efficacy.

The LTP-RFA group showed a considerably greater improvement in the highest voltage of masseter with T₁ and T2 having mean differences of 11.40 and 17.41 as compared to RFT group. Activity index of anterior temporalis and masseter, asymmetry index for occlusal force, highest voltage of anterior temporalis had comparable results.

LTP-RFA group but not RFT group portrayed noninferior efficacy for pain relief and recovery of healthy masticatory function.