IMMINENT PATHOLOGY IN MICROVASCULAR DECOMPRESSION FOR IDIOPATHIC TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA

Abstract

Objective: To know about the impending pathology in microvascular decom -pression for idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia.
Methodology: This was a prospective observational study conducted in the
Department of Neurosurgery, Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, from 20th August 2012 to 25th august 2013. The clinical and the operative records of the
patients were noted and demographics such as the age, sex, side of the lesion
as well as the per-operative impending pathology i.e. compression by an ar-tery, vein or distortion by adhesions or a combination of them compressing
upon the trigeminal nerve root was recorded on a predesigned proforma. All
patients undergoing surgery for idiopathic trigeminal Neuralgia were includ-ed in the study. Patients who had trigeminal neuralgia secondary to a mass
lesion were excluded from the study. The data was expressed in percentages
and was analyzed through SPSS version 16.
Results: Total of 55 patients in the study period fulfilled the criteria. There
were 28 males and 27 females with a male to female ratio approaching 1:1.
The age range was from 28 to 73 years with a mean age of 54.6 years. In 56.4%
the pathology was right sided and in 34.5% it was left sided while in 9.1% it
was bilateral(operated unilateral at the time). The impending pathology was
compression by an artery in 76.6%, by a vein in 21.6% or purely by adhesions
in 1.6% of cases.
Conclusion: compression by an artery is the most common pathology en-countered in the microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia.