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Microvascular compression of the vestibulocochlear nerve

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European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Vascular compression of cranial nerves has been widely accepted as a cause for trigeminal neuralgia and hemifacial spasm. In contrast, vascular compression of the vestibulocochlear nerve remains controversial.

Method

A comprehensive literature review including 175 articles between 1960 and 2020 was performed in an attempt to summarise the published hypotheses of the pathophysiological mechanisms of vascular compression of the vestibulocochlear nerve and their management strategies.

Results

Vascular loops in the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) and internal auditory meatus (IAM) are very common and should be regarded primarily as a normal variant. Advances in anatomical understanding with the development of models for the tonotopy of the vestibulocochlear nerve help explain the complexity of symptoms created by possible neurovascular interaction.

Conclusion

Widely accepted, validated and sensitive diagnostic criteria and outcome measures need to be established in order to evaluate the role of surgery in vestibulocochlear nerve vascular compression.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Royal College of Surgeons of England Library and Archives Team for providing support with the literature searches which informed this review.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Longmoor Lane, Liverpool, L9 7AL, UK

    Hussein Walijee, Casey Vaughan, Nazia Munir & Ahmed Youssef

  2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Middlewich Rd, Crewe, CW1 4QJ, UK

    Bernhard Attlmayr

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  1. Hussein Walijee
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  2. Casey Vaughan
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Correspondence to Hussein Walijee.

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Walijee, H., Vaughan, C., Munir, N. et al. Microvascular compression of the vestibulocochlear nerve. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 278, 3625–3631 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-06586-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-06586-4

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