Objective: To explore the feasibility, operating technique and precautions of endoscopic microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia.
Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted for 21 patients with primary trigeminal neuralgia. All underwent neuroendoscopic microvascular decompression for trigeminal nerves.
Results: The pains disappeared upon awaking post-anesthesia in 19 patients. In 2 patients, pains became significantly alleviated and disappeared after taking carbamazepine for 1 - 3 months. No patient suffered the injuries of trigeminal nerve and other cranial nerves. None had cerebellum edema or death. During the follow-up period, there was no recurrence of pains.
Conclusion: Neuroendoscopic surgery may accomplish microvascular decompression for trigeminal nerve independently. As a minimally invasive and effective technique, it offers a clearer vision of local anatomy and decreases the probability of damaging nerves and vessels. There is no need for pulling cerebellum. It brings minimal damage to normal brain tissue compared with microsurgery. Further popularization is warranted.