Outcome following microsurgical vascular decompression or partial sensory rhizotomy in 125 cases of trigeminal neuralgia.

Microsurgical vascular decompression (MVD) was used for 92 patients with trigeminal root entry zone (REZ) compression. In 2 patients, abnormal nerve roots were sectioned; 5 had extra-axial tumors, and 26 with no apparent REZ pathology had partial sensory rhizotomy (PSR). Mean follow-up was 26 months; 105 patients, including those with tumors, are pain-free. Nine have infrequent discomfort, requiring no medication. Eleven patients had recurrence, 9 within 1 year; 4 on medication and 3 after reoperation are pain-free. Complications were few. No patient died. Although PSR and MVD had equal efficacy, MVD is favored to relieve trigeminal neuralgia without sensory loss.