Benefits and risks

Information for the public

When NICE looked at the evidence, it decided that there was enough evidence to know that the procedure works in the short‑term. The 3 studies that NICE looked at involved a total of 43 patients.

Generally, they showed the following benefits for some people:

less pain during a cluster headache attack
fewer attacks
improved quality of life.

The studies showed that the risks of the procedure included:

problems with the device not working properly or causing infection, that needed more surgery to correct. In some people, the device had to be removed
ongoing symptoms caused by the implant, that got better in some people but not in others. These included loss of sensation, pins and needles or pain around the site of the implant, headaches that weren't cluster headache attacks, and problems opening the mouth fully.

If you want to know more about the studies, see the guidance. Ask your health professional to explain anything you don't understand.