Risk factors of recurrence after microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia

Abstract

Objective To explore the risk factors of recurrence of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) after microvascular decompression (MVD). Methods Four hundred patients with primary TN were treated with MVD from January 2012 to December 2014 in the Department of Neurosurgery of Jining First People’s Hospital were selected and divided into recurrence group (36 cases) and non-recurrence group (364 cases). Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors of MVD recurrence in TN patients. Results Thirty-six patients recurred within 2 years after operation. The recurrence rate in females (9.4%) was higher than that in males (8.0%). The recurrence rate in non-vascular compression group (40.0%) was higher than that in vascular compression group (8.6%). The recurrence rates in pain branches were V2-3 (13.4%), V2 (12.5%), V1 (9.1%), V3 (7.5%), V1-2-3 (4.4%), V1-2 (4.3%) and V1-3 (0.0%) respectively. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that gender, vascular compression and pain branches were risk factors for postoperative recurrence. The recurrence rate of MVD in female, V2-3、V2、V3 and non-vascular compression patients was high. Conclusion Sex, vascular compression and pain branches were the main factors affecting recurrence of primary TN after MVD alone. Key words: Trigeminal neuralgia; Microvascular decompression; Pain zone; Recurrence