Clinical long-term observation of the keyhole microvascular decompression with local anesthesia on diagnosis and treatment of vestibular paroxysmia.

Background

The pathophysiology and etiology of vestibular paroxysmia (VP) remains unclear, moreover, due to the lack of reliable diagnostic features for VP, the clinical diagnosis will be made mainly by exclusion.Aims/objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic value and curative effect of keyhole microvascular decompression with local anesthesia for VP.Material and methods: 54 patients with trigeminal neuralgia, hemifacial spasm and glossopharyngeal neuralgia underwent keyhole microvascular decompression with local anesthesia, twelve of whom were coexistent with VP. The evaluation of the vertigo after operation was performed with symptom report card for 12 patients with VP and the mean follow-up period was 116 months (range 114-118 months).

Results

The cochleovestibular neurovascular compression at the root zone of vestibular nerve was found in 12 patients with VP, of whom 11 patients had the neurovascular compressive vertigo induced intra-operatively and the vertigo disappeared postoperatively, moreover, one patient had no neurovascular compressive vertigo induced intra-operatively and the vertigo was not improved significantly after operation. Of 12 patients with VP during the mean 116-month follow-up, 11 patients had no recurrence of neurovascular compressive vertigo and the effective control rate of vertigo was 91.7%.Conclusions and significance: Keyhole microvascular decompression with local anesthesia is not only an effective method for treating VP and controlling neurovascular compressive vertigo, but also has definite clinical significance in the diagnosis of VP.