Efficacy of microsurgical vascular decompression in trigeminal neuralgia.

OBJECTIVES: Analysis of the long-term efficacy of microvascular decompression surgery in trigeminal neuralgia.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A single-center retrospective study included patients undergoing microvascular decompression surgery for trigeminal neuralgia after failure of well-conducted medical or complementary therapy, with visualization of nerve compression syndrome on MRI.

RESULTS: Eighty-seven patients were included. Nerve compression was alleviated without interposition of polytetrafluoroethylene in 79.3% of cases. Postoperative efficacy on pain was immediate in 97.7% of cases. There were no postoperative deaths, and the rate of severe complications was low (2.3%). The efficacy of microvascular decompression surgery was total at 2 years in 90.8% of cases and at 10 years in 92.3%, without resumption of medical treatment. The failure rate was 10.3%; 26.3% of these patients had been previously treated by a lesional technique (P: 0.043) and 33.3% by interposition of polytetrafluoroethylene (P: 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS: With confirmed clinical and radiological diagnosis, microvascular decompression surgery for trigeminal nerve compression was safe, with total effectiveness in the immediate, short and long terms. It should be considered in first line in case of failure or intolerance of well-conducted medical treatment.