TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA AND MICROVASCULAR DECOMPRESSION: NEUROSURGICAL APPROACHES

Abstract

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a chronic facial pain disorder often caused by neurovascular compression, leading to severe and recurrent episodes of pain. This retrospective study analyzed 75 patients with classical TN who underwent microvascular decompression (MVD) at the Neurosurgery Department of [Hospital/Institute Name] between January 2020 and June 2025. Preoperative evaluation included high-resolution MRI and MRA to identify offending vessels. Surgical intervention involved retrosigmoid craniotomy with placement of Teflon padding between the trigeminal nerve and compressing vessel. Immediate postoperative pain relief was achieved in 90.7% of patients, with a 13.3% recurrence rate during follow-up of 6 months to 3 years. Postoperative complications were minimal and transient, including facial numbness, cerebrospinal fluid leakage, and mild hearing loss. These findings demonstrate that MVD is a safe and highly effective treatment for TN, providing durable pain relief while preserving neurological function.