Absence of neurovascular conflict during microvascular decompression while treating essential trigeminal neuralgia. How to proceed? Systematic review of literature.

INTRODUCTION: Neurovascular conflict is the most accepted hypothesis for the cause for trigeminal neuralgia. Microvascular decompression of the trigeminal nerve is the most common surgical treatment for these patients. However, despite advances in diagnostic techniques, neurovascular conflict is sometimes not detected during surgery. The aim of this paper is to systematically review all the options available to best manage this scenario.

RESULTS: Several techniques that could be used during microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia in the absence of neurovascular conflict have been described. The success rates of these techniques, pain recurrence rates and rates of complications are also reported. Finally, we provide suggestions based on our experience.

CONCLUSIONS: There is no gold standard, but several techniques could be successfully used in the absence of neurovascular conflict. The use of destructive techniques, such as PSR, should be held as treatments of last resort.