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Migraine Surgery

Overview

IMAGN INSTITUTE is one of the very few centers in the world to offer surgical treatment of migraine.

Migraines are medical conditions which affect millions of people worldwide. They can be defined as severe headaches commonly accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and extreme sensitivity to light and sound. Migraine attacks can last for hours or even days, and the pain can be so severe that it interferes with daily activities.

Until recently, migraines were treated solely with medication and lifestyle changes to manage triggers. Now, the team of medical experts of IMAGN INSTITUTE offers a novel and scientifically proven surgical method to provide our patients with a long-term migraine relief.

Migraine surgery may be an effective treatment for patients whose symptoms do not respond to medications or other interventions. It can also be an alternative treatment option for those who develop side effects from the medications that they use to treat their migraine headaches.

Are you a candidate for a migraine surgery?

Migraine surgery is a highly individualized procedure. In general, you may be a good candidate for migraine surgery if:

You have been diagnosed with migraines by your primary physician, neurologist or pain specialist
You have tried other therapies without success or with severe side effects
Migraine is affecting the quality of your life
You are relatively healthy

Why Choose Imagn Institute for Your Migraine Surgery?

IMAGN INSTITUTE’s Medical Director, Dr. Ahmad Saad, is one of very few surgeons across the globe with the expertise and experience in performing migraine surgery. Further, he is one of the founders of the California Migraine Surgery Center where his skills, experience and knowledge have brought relief to many patients over the past years from all parts of the world.

Dr. Saad and his team of highly-skilled surgeons are now successfully treating migraine patients in Europe, where patients travel from all over the world seeking relief from their migraine.

The IMAGN INSTITUTE Experience

The consultation

Your initial migraine surgery consultation may be in person or online. You will have to complete a detailed questionnaire that will give our surgeons information about the nature, frequency and duration of your migraines. This helps determine whether surgery is a viable option for your individual case.

We will, then, identify the trigger points for your headaches. There are numerous trigger points across the scalp, including areas on the forehead, temples, jaw, top and back of the head, and upper neck. You might have one or multiple trigger areas which will be released during the surgery to prevent future headaches from occurring.

Once it is determined that surgery could be a good treatment option for you, our surgeon will give you all the details about this migraine relief procedure so you can make an informed decision. You will have the opportunity to discuss potential risks and benefits of the procedure, and ask any questions you might have about migraine surgery.

anesthesia

The operation is typically an outpatient procedure done under local or general anesthesia. If you chose to recover at home, be sure to arrange for someone to drive you to and from surgery and to stay with you for at least the first night following surgery.

Migraine surgery procedure

This procedure focuses on releasing compressed nerves underneath the surface of the skin that contribute to the onset of migraines. The surgeon will make small incisions in the scalp to reach the nerves and release them, working in a meticulous fashion to decompress each nerve that was identified as a trigger point. The surgery does not penetrate the skull bones or reach the brain in any way.

You may have one or several trigger points depending on your symptoms. The most common and main trigger sites are frontal (pain above your eyes and/or your forehead), temporal (pain over your temples), rhinogenic (pain inside your nose that can extend to behind your eyes), occipital (pain on the back of your head that can radiate across your skull to your eyes or behind your eyes). You may also experience pain at less common sites around your head. Once the trigger nerves are released, the surgeon will skillfully apply sutures to close the incisions, putting special attention not to leave any visible marks.

Duration

The duration of the procedure will depend on the number of points to be treated, with a single location taking just about 15 minutes, and most surgeries lasting 1-2 hours. We will monitor you in our recovery area after your surgery before we release you to head home for your complete recovery.

The recovery process

Following your migraine surgery, you will have minimal dressings if any. Slight bruising and swelling may occur. Controlling swelling and incision care is important. Sometimes the nerves can be irritated post-operatively requiring pain medication. In more rare cases nerve modulator medication may be utilized as well. Most patients are able to return to their usual activities within a week after the migraine surgery. Depending on the specific nerves targeted by surgery, patients might be asked to avoid strenuous exercise for a couple of weeks more.

The results

Migraine surgery can reduce migraine frequency, duration and severity for our patients.

Studies have shown that around 90% of patients undergoing surgery experience significant improvement or complete elimination of migraine headaches.

While most patients see an immediate improvement in their headaches, others can only appreciate the effect of surgery after few months.

“Each day I’m so thankful for Dr. Saad. It has truly changed my life in any way that I could ever imagine. If I didn’t have the surgery I would still be in the same spot – constantly having headaches every day, constantly having migraines, going through all this pain, seeing different doctors, trying to figure it out. My quality of life was horrible for only being 26 years old. Now I am so hopeful for the future and what lies ahead and I can’t thank Dr. Saad enough. I tell him all the time, he is my lifesaver and I just look forward to the future.”

– Kate

“My quality of life has greatly improved.”

“It’s been a long journey and I have a whole new life now.”

– Nick

“I go out much more often with friends and family. My parents are not worried all the time if I am feeling all right… and they let me be more “normal”

“…it might sound simple but I hadn’t had a normal life for such a long time!”

– Sofía

About the author

Dr. Ahmad Saad

Medical Director – IMAGN Institute, Barcelona

Diplomate, American Board of Plastic Surgery

Asst. Prof. of Plastic Surgery – University of California, San Diego

Schedule a consultation

If you are struggling with migraines and have found no relief through conventional treatments, migraine surgery might be the right option for you. Reach out to our Patient Coordinator any time via email: info@imagninstitute.com, phone +34 933 821 111, or online form.

Schedule a consultation

Reach out to our Patient Coordinator any time via e-mail, phone +34 933 821 111, or online form

Rambla de Catalunya, 53
6th floor, G-H
Barcelona, Spain, 08007

+34 93 3821111

+34 933 821 111

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