Microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia.

Of 42 patients undergoing a microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia with a follow-up of 4 to 7 years, 32 (76.19%) had no postoperative recurrence of neuralgic pain, 4 (9.52%) had a minor recurrence and 6 (14.29%) had a major recurrence. It was considered that the neuralgic recurrence might be due to some possibly missed pathogenic vessel during operation or a new compression of the trigeminal nerve root occurring after operation.