Statement of Principles concerning trigeminal neuropathy No. 81 of 1995

Statement of Principles

concerning

TRIGEMINAL NEUROPATHY

Instrument No. 81 of 1995 as amended

made under section 196B(2) of the

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986

This compilation was prepared on 26 October 2005
taking into account Amendment of Statement of Principles concerning TRIGEMINAL NEUROPATHY (Instrument No. 11 of 2002)

Prepared by the Repatriation Medical Authority Secretariat, Brisbane

Statement of Principles

concerning

TRIGEMINAL NEUROPATHY

ICD CODE: 350.8

Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986
subsection 196B(2)

1. Being of the view that there is sound medical-scientific evidence that indicates that trigeminal neuropathy and death from trigeminal neuropathy can be related to operational service rendered by veterans, peacekeeping service rendered by members of Peacekeeping forces and hazardous service rendered by members of the Forces, the Repatriation Medical Authority determines, under subsection 196B(2) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986, that the factors that must as a minimum exist before it can be said that a reasonable hypothesis has been raised connecting trigeminal neuropathy or death from trigeminal neuropathy with the circumstances of that service, are:

(a) suffering multiple sclerosis before the clinical onset of trigeminal neuropathy; or

(b) suffering a tumour within the region of the trigeminal nerve before the clinical onset of trigeminal neuropathy; or

(c) suffering a vascular anomaly within the region of the trigeminal nerve before the clinical onset of trigeminal neuropathy; or

(d) suffering from a surgical complication within the region of the trigeminal nerve before the clinical onset of trigeminal neuropathy; or

(e) suffering trauma within the region of the trigeminal nerve before the clinical onset of trigeminal neuropathy; or

(f) being treated with hydroxystilbamidine isethionate within the 6 months before the clinical onset of trigeminal neuropathy; or

(g) suffering connective tissue diseases before the clinical onset of trigeminal neuropathy; or

(h) suffering Paget's disease of the skull before the clinical onset of trigeminal neuropathy; or

(j) suffering cerebral malaria before the clinical onset of trigeminal neuropathy; or

(k) suffering sarcoidosis before the clinical onset of trigeminal neuropathy; or

(m) suffering neuro-syphilis before the clinical onset of trigeminal neuropathy; or

(n) suffering arachnoiditis before the clinical onset of trigeminal neuropathy; or

(o) suffering diabetes mellitus before the clinical onset of trigeminal neuropathy; or

(p) inability to obtain appropriate clinical management for the trigeminal neuropathy.

2. Subject to clause 3 (below) at least one of the factors set out in paragraphs 1(a) to 1(p) must be related to any service rendered by a person.

3. The factor set out in paragraph 1(p) applies only where:

(a) the person’s trigeminal neuropathy was contracted prior to a period, or part of a period, of service to which the factor is related; and

(b) the relationship suggested between the trigeminal neuropathy and the particular service of a person is a relationship set out in paragraph 8(1)(e), 9(1)(e), 70(5)(d), or 70(5A)(d) of the act.

4. For the purposes of this Statement of Principles:

“arachnoiditis” means inflammation, scarring, or fibrous thickening of the arachnoid membrane that is capable of compressing nerve roots, attracting  ICD codes  320, 321 or 322;

“cerebral malaria” means a complication of falciparum malaria mainly involving the brain, attracting ICD code 084.9;

“connective tissue diseases” means abnormal conditions of tissues such as skin, cartilage, bone and blood vessels which are composed of macromolecules which include collagen, elastin and fibrillin, including scleroderma (ICD code 710.1), Sjogren's syndrome (ICD code 710.2), systemic lupus erythmatosus (ICD code 710.0), dermatomyositis (ICD code 710.3) and mixed connective tissue disease (ICD code 710.8);

“ICD code” means a number assigned to a particular kind of injury or disease in the tenth edition of the International Classification of Diseases 9th Revision, effective date of 1 October 1993, copyrighted by the US Commission on Professional and Hospital Activities, and having the Library of Congress number 77-94472;

“multiple sclerosis” means a demyelinating disorder in which there is focal destruction of myelin sheaths in the central nervous system accompanied by an inflammatory response, attracting an ICD code of 340;

“neuro-syphilis” means the central nervous system manifestations of syphilis, an infection caused by the organism Treponema pallidum, attracting ICD code 094;

“Paget's disease” means a disease in which there is simultaneous osseous hyperplasia and accelerated deossification, attracting ICD code 731.0;

“sarcoidosis” means a chronic, multisystem disorder of unknown cause characterised by an accumulation of T Lymphocytes and mononuclear phagocytes, noncaseating epithelioid granulomas, and derangements of the normal tissue architecture in affected organs, attracting an ICD code of 135;

“trigeminal neuropathy” means a syndrome in which there is a disorder of sensation confined to the distribution of the fifth cranial nerve, attracting an ICD code 350.8;

“tumour” means an abnormal growth, and includes benign and malignant lesions.

Notes to Statement of Principles concerning trigeminal neuropathy (Instrument No. 81 of 1995)

The Statement of Principles concerning trigeminal neuropathy (Instrument No. 81 of 1995) in force under section 196B(2) of the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986, as shown in this compilation is amended as indicated in the Tables below.

Table of Instruments

Table of Amendments