Operative Complications of Microvascular Decompression for Trigeminal Neuralgia

Microvascular decompression has been now accepted worldwide as a reasonable treatment for trigeminal neuralgia; yet, as a functional operation in the cerebellopontine angle, this process may be risky and the postoperative outcomes might not be good enough sometimes. Specific complications may occur depending on the surrounding anatomical structures, and the surgeon needs to operate with awareness about this. Previous studies reported complication rates after surgery. Facial palsy was reported up to 2.9% and facial numbness was around 5%. CSF leakage in 1.4~10.3%, wound infection in 0.6~2.7%, and hearing loss in about 1.9%. To treat trigeminal neuralgia, the surgeon should concern the above complications. Neurosurgeons need to refine the standard procedure in order to lower the complications.