Short-lasting unilateral neuralgiform
headache attacks with conjuntival injection and tearing (SUNCT) is considered a rare trigeminal autonomic
cephalgias, a group of
primary headache disorders characterized by brief episodes of severe
unilateral headache in the distribution territory of the trigeminal nerve, accompanied by prominent ipsilateral and cranial parasympathetic autonomic features. The present report describes a
SUNCT syndrome in a 64-year-old male who had been diagnosed with
trigeminal neuralgia several years ago. The patient reported stabbing
pain in the orbital zone and in the left upper maxillary region, of great intensity, brief duration, and a frequency of 20-100 attacks a day.
Pain episodes were accompanied by conjunctival injection and tearing. Based on the anamnesis, clinical examination and a magnetic resonance imaging scan, episodic
SUNCT syndrome was diagnosed and pharmacological treatment with
topiramate was started. This reduced the intensity and number of attacks to 3-6 a day. Key words:Trigeminal autonomic
cephalgias, SUNCT,
Cluster headache,
topiramate.