Microvascular Decompression for Trigeminal Neuralgia in the Elderly: A Review of the Safety and Efficacy

Abstract Background Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a severe pain condition and the most common facial neuralgia. While microvascular decompression (MVD) presents an excellent treatment in neurovascular compression cases, percutaneous thermocoagulation (PT) of the ganglion Gasseri is an alternative option. This study aimed to evaluate post-operative complication rate and outcome of both treatment strategies related to the patient’s age. Methods The medical records of all patients with the diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia undergoing an MVD or PT of the ganglion Gasseri (between January 2007 and September 2017) were reviewed to determine the efficacy and the complication rate of both methods in regard to the patient’s age. Results Seventy-nine patients underwent MVD surgery and 39 a PT. The mean age of patients in the MVD group was 61 years and 73 years in the PT group. There were 59 (50%) female patients. Nerve-vessel conflict could be identified in 78 (98.7%) MVD and 17 (43.6%) PT patients on preoperative MRI. Charlson comorbidity index was significantly higher in PT group (2.4 (1.8) versus 3.8 (1.8) p < 0.001). The Barrow pain score (BPS) at the last follow-up demonstrated higher scores after PT (p = 0.007). The complication rate was markedly higher in PT group, mostly due to the facial hypesthesia (84.6% versus 27.8%; p < 0.001). Mean symptom-free survival was significantly shorter in the PT group (9 vs. 26 months, p < 0.001). It remained statistically significant when stratified into age groups: (65 years and older: 9 vs. 18 months, p = 0.001). Duration of symptoms (OR 1.005, 95% CI 1.000–1.010), primary procedure (OR 6.198, 95% CI 2.650–14.496), patient age (OR 1.033, 95% CI 1.002–1.066), and postoperative complication rate (OR 2.777, 95% CI 1.309–5.890) were associated with treatment failure. Conclusion In this patient series, the MVD is confirmed to be an excellent treatment option independent of patient’s age. However, while PT is an effective procedure, time to pain recurrence is shorter, and the favorable outcome (BPS 1 and 2) rate is lower compared to MVD. Hence MVD should be the preferred treatment and PT should remain an alternative in very selected cases when latter is not possible but not in the elderly patient per se.

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Typical Trigeminal Neuralgia: Comparison of Results between Patients Older and Younger than 65 Years Operated on with Microvascular Decompression by Retrosigmoid Approach

Journal of Neurological Surgery Part A Central European Neurosurgery ◽

10.1055/s-0039-1693126 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 81 (01) ◽

pp. 028-032 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Luciano Mastronardi ◽

Franco Caputi ◽

Alessandro Rinaldi ◽

Guglielmo Cacciotti ◽

Raffaelino Roperto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Trigeminal Neuralgia ◽

Elderly Patients ◽

Microvascular Decompression ◽

Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak ◽

The Elderly ◽

Retrosigmoid Approach ◽

Younger Patients ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Elderly Cohort

Abstract Objective The incidence of typical trigeminal neuralgia (TN) increases with age, and neurologists and neurosurgeons frequently observe patients with this disorder at age 65 years or older. Microvascular decompression (MVD) of the trigeminal root entry zone in the posterior cranial fossa represents the etiological treatment of typical TN with the highest efficacy and durability of all treatments. This procedure is associated with possible risks (cerebellar hematoma, cranial nerve injury, stroke, and death) not seen with the alternative ablative procedures. Thus the safety of MVD in the elderly remains a topic of discussion. This study was conducted to determine whether MVD is a safe and effective treatment in older patients with TN compared with younger patients. Methods In this retrospective study, 28 patients older than 65 years (elderly cohort: mean age 70.9 ± 3.6 years) and 38 patients < 65 years (younger cohort: mean age 51.7 ± 6.3 years) underwent MVD via the keyhole retrosigmoid approach for type 1 TN (typical) or type 2a TN (typically chronic) from November 2011 to November 2017. A 75-year-old patient and three nonelderly patients with type 2b TN (atypical) were excluded. Elderly and younger cohorts were compared for outcome and complications. Results At a mean follow-up 26.0 ± 5.5 months, 25 patients of the elderly cohort (89.3%) reported a good outcome without the need for any medication for pain versus 34 (89.5%) of the younger cohort. Twenty-three elderly patients with type 1 TN were compared with 30 younger patients with type 1 TN, and no significant difference in outcomes was found (p > 0.05). Five elderly patients with type 2a TN were compared with eight younger patients with type 2a TN, and no significant difference in outcomes was noted (p > 0.05). There was one case of cerebrospinal fluid leak and one of a cerebellar hematoma, both in the younger cohort. Mortality was zero in both cohorts. Conclusions On the basis of our experience and the international literature, age itself does not seem to represent a major contraindication of MVD for TN.

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