[Clinical study of microvascular decompression in patients with coexistent hemifacial spasm and ipsilateral trigeminal neuralgia].

Objective

To investigate the surgical nuances and efficacy of microvascular decompression in patients with coexistent hemifacial spasm and ipsilateral trigeminal neuralgia.

Methods

Seventeen patients suffered from coexistent hemifacial spasm and ipsilateral trigeminal neuralgia were treated in Department of Neurosurgery, Henan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2008 to September 2017. The medical recorders, intra-operative findings and postoperative follow-up results of these patients were reviewed, and the surgical strategies and therapeutic effects of these patients were summarized.

Results

The offending vessels of the patients coexistent hemifacial spasm and ipsilateral trigeminal neuralgia were complex. The tortuous vertebral artery shifted to the suffered side in nine patients (52.9%), among which seven cases had vertebral artery as the offending vessel or indirect offending vessel compressing facial nerve and/or trigeminal nerve. The effective rate was 100%,the cure rate was 94.1%, and the immediate relief rate was 82.4%. All the patients were followed up for more than one year without recurrence.

Conclusion

Patients with coexistent hemifacial spasm and ipsilateral trigeminal neuralgia with tortuous vertebral artery shifted to the affected side were more common. Good surgical nuances and strategies in microvascular decompression are the guarantee of successful surgery.