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Keyhole microsurgery for trigeminal neuralgia, hemifacial spasm and glossopharyngeal neuralgia

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Abstract

The aim of the study was to describe and evaluate the efficacy of the keyhole microsurgery to manage patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN), hemifacial spasm (HFS) and glossopharyngeal neuralgia (GPN). Two hundred and seven patients underwent microvascular decompression (MVD) and neurotomy via retrosigmoid keyhole approach in our department clinic: MVD for trigeminal neuralgia 169 cases, hemifacial spasm 31 cases, glossopharyngeal neuralgia 4 cases and neurotomy for glossopharyngeal neuralgia 3 cases. There was no serious complication such as deaths or infarction in the cerebellum or the brainstem. Complete and partial symptoms relief was obtained in 160 (94.7%) cases and failure 9 (5.3%) cases with MVD for trigeminal neuralgia, postoperatively. Meanwhile, complications occurred in one case with cerebellar hematoma only. The postoperative results of MVD for hemifacial spasm with symptoms relief was noted in 29 (93.5%) cases and failure 2 (6.5%) cases. Postoperative complications occurred in one case with moderate hearing loss, another three cases complained of transient facial paralysis. Symptoms relief achieved in all 7 (100%) cases undergone MVD or neurotomy for glosspharyngeal neuralgia. Postoperative complications occurred in one case with moderate vocal paralysis. We think that microsurgery via retrosigmoid keyhole approach is safe and effective for CPA hyperactive cranial nerve dysfunction syndromes.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to Prof. Chunfu Dai (from Otology Skull Base Surgery Department, Hearing Research Institute, Eye and ENT Hospital of Shanghai Medical School, Fudan University, Shanghai, China) for his valuable comments on our manuscript.

Conflict of interest statement

We have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, East Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Shanghai, China

    Zhaoxin Ma

  2. Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Yueyang Hospital Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China

    Ming Li, Yi Cao & Xuhui Chen

  3. 110 Ganhe Road, Shanghai, 200437, China

    Ming Li

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  1. Zhaoxin Ma
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  2. Ming Li
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  3. Yi Cao
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Correspondence to Ming Li.

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Ma, Z., Li, M., Cao, Y. et al. Keyhole microsurgery for trigeminal neuralgia, hemifacial spasm and glossopharyngeal neuralgia. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 267, 449–454 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-009-1005-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-009-1005-9

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