Use of perioperative steroids with microvascular decompression operations.

Complications associated with the use of perioperative steroids in elective craniotomies were evaluated in a single-blind prospective study of 222 consecutive microvascular decompression operations. Patients were randomized into one of three groups: Group A received steroids preoperatively and for 4 days postoperatively, Group B received steroids pre- and postoperatively for 1 day, and Group C received no steroids. There were 17 complications in Group A; 12 of these were wound-related. There were significantly fewer complications in Groups B and C (P less than 0.01). Group B had 3 complications, Group C had 4, and there was only 1 wound-related complication in Group C. There were no deaths, deep wound infections, or life-threatening complications. Severe postoperative headaches, a symptom that steroids were intended to minimize, occurred in 38% of patients in Group A, 42% of patients in Group B, and 25% of patients in Group C. The use of perioperative steroids did not reduce the length of postoperative hospitalization. Duration of the operation had no significant effect on the incidence of postoperative complications or the length of postoperative hospitalization. We conclude that there is no indication for the routine perioperative use of steroids with microvascular decompression operations of the posterior fossa cranial nerves and that such use leads to a higher incidence of postoperative complications.