Invasive procedures for treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (TGN) include percutaneous radiofrequency thermocoagulation (PRT), partial sensory rhizotomy (PSR), and microvascular decompression (MVD). Using a nationwide discharge registry from The Netherlands, we assessed the frequency of use and patient characteristics, and evaluated treatment failure for each patient undergoing PRT, PSR, or MVD f...

BACKGROUND Surgical microvascular decompression (MVD) is the curative treatment for hemifacial spasm (HFS). Monitoring MVD by recording the lateral spread response (LSR) intraoperatively can predict a successful clinical outcome. However, the rate of the LSR varies between trials, and the reason for this variation is unclear. The aim of our trial is to evaluate the rate of the LSR after intubat...

A 53-year-old woman with history of paroxysms pain in the maxillary and mandibular right regions, with trigger zones on the nose wing and right tongue, and ipsilateral clear hairy tongue sign (Figure 1A). Following microvascular decompression surgery targeting a trigeminal nerve emergence vascular loop1, there was complete relief of pain and disappearance of the sign (Figure 1B). Hairy tongue d...

he general assumption among cardiologists is that myoardial ischemia occurs only in the presence of obstructive oronary artery disease. This is based on the misconception hat abnormal coronary flow reserve (CFR) is associated nly with coronary stenosis and results from the increased esistance offered by the stenosis. We showed some time ago hat when the normal coronary vasculature is maximally ...

Cranioplasty is not only performed for cosmetic reasons but also for physiological requirements to balance the cerebral hemodynamics and to protect the brain from external traumas. Methyl methacrylate is one of the most preferred materials for cranioplasty. It is usually prepared out of the surgical site and therefore modelling of the cranioplasty material to fit the bone defect is sometimes di...

BACKGROUND/AIMS We present the preliminary results of a cost-effectiveness analysis of cyberknife radiosurgery (CKR) versus microvascular decompression (MVD) for patients with medically unresponsive trigeminal neuralgia. METHODS Direct healthcare costs from hospital's perspective attributable to CKR and MVD were collected. Pain level caused by trigeminal neuralgia was measured through the Bar...

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the characteristics and surgical outcomes of familial hemifacial spasm (HFS) and to discuss the role of genetic susceptibility. METHODS Between 2001 and 2011, 20 familial HFS patients with ten different pedigrees visited our hospital. The data from comprehensive evaluation of these patients, including clinical, radiological and electrophysio...

Dural arteriovenous fistula (AVF) is very rare, acquired lesion that may present with intracranial hemorrhage or neurological deficits. The etiology is not completely understood but dural AVF often has been associated with thrombosis of the involved dural sinuses. To our knowledge, this is the first well documented intracranial hemorrhage case caused by dural AVF following microvascular decompr...

OBJECTIVE Venous compression might be the main cause of incomplete decompression and symptom recurrence after microvascular decompression (MVD) in patients with trigeminal neuralgia. Although it can be killed in most cases, cutting the vein sometimes has the potential risk arising from venous congestion. To maneuver the vein safely, we introduced a temporary occlusion test of the vein. METHOD...