A prospective study of microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia.

In a prospective study of 25 patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN), we examined the results of microvascular decompression (MVD). Initial pain relief was complete in 22 patients and partial in one. There were two primary failures. After a median observation time of 38 months, 20 of the 22 patients still were completely free of pain, and one patient reported then 50% pain relief. A vascular compression of the trigeminal root was found intra-operatively in 23 patients. No serious complications occurred. Minor but bother-some dyaesthesias were reported by two patients (8%). The results were satisfactory when compared to other MVD studies.