Five-year result of microvascular decompression using video endoscopy in the treatment of classic trigeminal neuralgia with paroxysmal pain syndrome

Background. The incidence of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is 15 per 100,000 people per year. The effectiveness of the existing conservative methods of therapy does not exceed 50%. At the same time, the use of carbamazepine doubles the frequency of depressive conditions, and by 40% increases the incidence of suicidal thoughts. Microvascular decompression (MVD) of the trigeminal root is a"gold standard" treatment for patients with facial pain, however, due to the lack of awareness of the disease, not all the patients receive the adequate therapy timely. Aims: to evaluate the long-term results of video endoscopy-assisted microvascular decompression in the treatment of patients with classical trigeminal neuralgia (cNTN) with paroxysmal facial pain. Methods. In the period from 2014 to 2019, 62 patients were operated for classic NTN and paroxysmal facial pain. The average period from the onset of pain syndrome to surgery was 5 years (from 2 months to 15 years). All the patients in the preoperative period underwent conservative therapy (carbamazepine, gabapentin, pregabalin), which was not accompanied by significant pain reduction. Two (3%) patients had previously undergone a radiosurgical treatment using the Gamma Knife device, and 7 (11%) patients had an analgesic blockade without an effect at other hospitals. The maximum pain intensity upon the admission to the hospital, according to the visual analogue scale (VAS,) was 10 points, according to the BNI (Barrow Neurological Institute) pain syndrome scale - V. All the patients underwent MVD of the trigeminal nerve root using Teflon, and video endoscopic assistance during surgery was used in 9 patients . The average follow-up period after the surgery was 3.4 ± 1.7 years (from 1 to 5 years). Results. In all (100%) the patients, the pain was completely relieved after the surgery (BNI I). Excellent and good results after MVD within 5 years were achieved in 97% of patients (BNI I-II). Facial hypesthesia, not causing discomfort and anxiety (BNI II), developed in 5 (8.1%) patients. The use of video endoscopy made it possible to identify the vessels compressing the trigeminal nerve root with a minimal traction of the cerebellum and cranial nerves. The development of cerebellar edema and ischemia occurred in one (1.6%) patient operated without the application of video endoscopy. Conclusion. The MVD method with video endoscopy is effective in the treatment of patients with cNTN with paroxysmal pain syndrome.