Long-term Outcomes of Microvascular Decompression in the Treatment of Hemifacial Spasm Based on Different Offending Vessels

2019 ◽  
Vol 80 (04) ◽  
pp. 285-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hua Zhao ◽  
Yinda Tang ◽  
Xin Zhang ◽  
Jin Zhu ◽  
Yan Yuan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hemifacial Spasm ◽  
Microvascular Decompression ◽  
Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery ◽  
Study Groups ◽  
Effective Rate ◽  
Anterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery ◽  
Long Term Outcomes ◽  
Root Exit Zone ◽  
Cerebellar Artery

Objective To evaluate clinical features, outcomes, and complications in patients with hemifacial spasm (HFS) after microvascular decompression (MVD) of different offending vessels. Methods Clinical data were collected from 362 patients with HFS treated with MVD between January 2013 and January 2014. Patients were divided into five groups based on the offending vessel: A (anterior inferior cerebellar artery [AICA] compression), B (posterior inferior cerebellar artery [PICA] compression), C (AICA plus PICA compression), D (vertebral artery [VA] compression), and E (VA plus small vessel compression). Results The most common offending vessel was the AICA (51.38%). The most common compression site was the root exit zone. During the follow-up period, the effective rate was 95.48% in group A, 92.15% in group B, 93.10% in group C, 90.14% in group D, and 91.45% in group E. Twenty-nine patients exhibited delayed facial palsy, the most common complication. Conclusion No statistically significant differences were found in long-term outcomes or MVD-related complications among the study groups. The type of offending vessel was not a prognostic factor for MVD in patients with HFS.

scholarly journals Retrosigmoid Craniotomy for the Removal of Left Sided Tentorial and Posterior Fossa Meningioma Combined with Microvascular Decompression for Hemifacial Spasm

2018 ◽  
Vol 80 (S 03) ◽  
pp. S294-S295
Author(s):  
Yu-Wen Cheng ◽  
Chun-Yu Cheng ◽  
Zeeshan Qazi ◽  
Laligam N. Sekhar
Keyword(s):  
Facial Nerve ◽  
Hemifacial Spasm ◽  
Microvascular Decompression ◽  
Preoperative Imaging ◽  
Superior Cerebellar Artery ◽  
Anterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery ◽  
Root Exit Zone ◽  
Tentorial Meningioma ◽  
Cerebellar Artery ◽  
The Right

This 68-year-old woman presented with repeated episodes of bilateral hemifacial spasm with headache for 5 years and with recent progression of left sided symptoms. Preoperative imaging showed a left sided tentorial meningioma with brain stem and cerebellar compression. Left facial nerve was compressed by the vertebral artery (VA) and the right facial nerve by the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA). This patient underwent left side retrosigmoid craniotomy and mastoidectomy. The cisterna magna was drained to relax the brain. The tumor was very firm, attached to the tentorium and had medial and lateral lobules. The superior cerebellar artery was adherent to the lateral lobule of the tumor and dissected away. The tumor was detached from its tentorial base; we first removed the lateral lobule. Following this, the medial lobule was also completely dissected and removed. The root exit zone of cranial nerve (CN) VII was dissected and exposed. The compression was caused both by a prominent VA and AICA. Initially, the several pieces of Teflon felt were placed for the decompression. Then vertebropexy was performed by using 8–0 nylon suture placed through the VA media to the clival dura. A further piece of Teflon felt was placed between cerebellopontine angle region and AICA. Her hemifacial spasm resolved postoperatively, and she discharged home 1 week later. Postoperative imaging showed complete tumor removal and decompression of left CN VII. This video shows the complex surgery of microsurgical resection of a large tentorial meningioma and microvascular decompression with a vertebropexy procedure.The link to the video can be found at: https://youtu.be/N5aHN9CRJeM.

Microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm

1991 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
pp. 388-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinji Nagahiro ◽  
Akira Takada ◽  
Yasuhiko Matsukado ◽  
Yukitaka Ushio
Keyword(s):  
Hemifacial Spasm ◽  
Microvascular Decompression ◽  
Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery ◽  
Cranial Nerves ◽  
Anterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery ◽  
Vascular Compression ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Seventh Cranial Nerve ◽  
Cerebellar Artery

✓ To determine the causative factors of unsuccessful microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm, the follow-up results in 53 patients were assessed retrospectively. The mean follow-up period was 36 months. There were 32 patients who had compression of the seventh cranial nerve ventrocaudally by an anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) or a posterior inferior cerebellar artery. Of these 32 patients, 30 (94%) had excellent postoperative results. Of 14 patients with more severe compression by the vertebral artery, nine (64%) had excellent results, three (21%) had good results, and two (14%) had poor results; in this group, three patients with excellent results experienced transient spasm recurrence. There were seven patients in whom the meatal branch of the AICA coursed between the seventh and eighth cranial nerves and compressed the dorsal aspect of the seventh nerve; this was usually associated with another artery compressing the ventral aspect of the nerve (“sandwich-type” compression). Of these seven patients, five (71%) had poor results including operative failure in one and recurrence of spasm in four. The authors conclude that the clinical outcome was closely related to the patterns of vascular compression.

Neurovascular compression findings in hemifacial spasm

2008 ◽  
Vol 109 (3) ◽  
pp. 416-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauricio Campos-Benitez ◽  
Anthony M. Kaufmann
Keyword(s):  
Facial Nerve ◽  
Hemifacial Spasm ◽  
Nerve Root ◽  
Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery ◽  
Anterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery ◽  
Vascular Compression ◽  
Neurovascular Compression ◽  
Exit Point ◽  
Root Exit Zone ◽  
Cerebellar Artery

Object It is generally accepted that hemifacial spasm (HFS) is caused by pulsatile vascular compression upon the facial nerve root exit zone. This 2–3 mm area, considered synonymous with the Obersteiner–Redlich zone, is a transition zone (TZ) between central and peripheral axonal myelination that is situated at the nerve's detachment from the pons. Further proximally, however, the facial nerve is exposed on the pontine surface and emerges from the pontomedullary sulcus. The incidence and significance of neurovascular compression upon these different segments of the facial nerve in patients with HFS has not been previously reported. Methods The nature of neurovascular compression was determined in 115 consecutive patients undergoing their first microvascular decompression (MVD) for HFS. The location of neurovascular compression was categorized to 1 of 4 anatomical portions of the facial nerve: RExP = root exit point; AS = attached segment; RDP = root detachment point that corresponds to the TZ; and CP = distal cisternal portion. The severity of compression was defined as follows: mild = contact without indentation of nerve; moderate = indentation; and severe = deviation of the nerve course. Success in alleviating HFS was documented by telephone interview conducted at least 24 months following MVD surgery. Results Neurovascular compression was found in all patients, and the main culprit was the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (in 43%), posterior inferior cerebellar artery (in 31%), vertebral artery (in 23%), or a large vein (in 3%). Multiple compressing vessels were found in 38% of cases. The primary culprit location was at RExP in 10%, AS in 64%, RDP in 22%, and CP in 3%. The severity of compression was mild in 27%, moderate in 61%, and severe in 12%. Failure to alleviate HFS occurred in 9 cases, and was not related to compression location, severity, or vessel type. Conclusions The authors observed that culprit neurovascular compression was present in all cases of HFS, but situated at the RDP or Obersteiner–Redlich zone in only one-quarter of cases and rarely on the more distal facial nerve root. Since the majority of culprit compression was found more proximally on the pontine surface or even pontomedullary sulcus origin of the facial nerve, these areas must be effectively visualized to achieve consistent success in performing MVD for HFS.

Hemifacial Spasm: Endoscopic Vascular Decompression

1997 ◽  
Vol 117 (4) ◽  
pp. 308-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Magnan ◽  
F. Caces ◽  
P. Locatelli ◽  
A. Chays
Keyword(s):  
Hemifacial Spasm ◽  
Marked Improvement ◽  
Cerebellopontine Angle ◽  
Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery ◽  
Endoscopic Examination ◽  
Anterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery ◽  
Cerebellar Artery ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Vascular Decompression

Sixty patients with primitive hemifacial spasm were treated by means of a minimally invasive retrosigmoid approach in which endoscopic and microsurgical procedures were combined. Intraoperative endoscopic examination of the cerebellopontine angle showed that for 56 of the patients vessel-nerve conflict was the cause of hemifacial spasm. The most common offending vessel was the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (39 patients), next was the vertebral artery (23 patients), and last was the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (16 patients). Nineteen of the patients had multiple offending vascular loops. In one patient, another cause of hemifacial spasm was an epidermoid tumor of the cerebellopontine angle. For three patients, it was not possible to determine the exact cause of the facial disorder. Follow-up information was reviewed for 54 of 60 patients; the mean follow-up period was 14 months. Fifty of the patients were in the vessel-nerve conflict group. Forty of the 50 were free of symptoms, and four had marked improvement. The overall success rate was 88%, and there was minimal morbidity (no facial palsy, two cases of severe hearing loss).

Chronic emesis due to compression of the area postrema by the posterior inferior cerebellar artery: resolution following microvascular decompression

2010 ◽  
Vol 6 (6) ◽  
pp. 583-585 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin M. Mortazavi ◽  
R. Shane Tubbs ◽  
Daniel Harmon ◽  
W. Jerry Oakes
Keyword(s):  
Microvascular Decompression ◽  
Area Postrema ◽  
Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery ◽  
Posterior Cranial Fossa ◽  
Significant Weight Loss ◽  
Surgical Exploration ◽  
Cerebellar Artery ◽  
Cranial Fossa ◽  
Jejunostomy Feeding

Chronic emesis may result from a variety of causes. To the authors' knowledge, compression of the area postrema by regional vessels resulting in chronic emesis has not been reported. The authors report on a child who presented with chronic medically intractable emesis and significant weight loss requiring jejunostomy feeding. Surgical exploration of the posterior cranial fossa found unilateral compression of the area postrema by the posterior inferior cerebellar artery. Microvascular decompression resulted in postoperative and long-term resolution of the patient's emesis. Although apparently very rare, irritation of the area postrema from the posterior inferior cerebellar artery with resultant medically intractable chronic emesis may occur. Therefore, the clinician should be aware of this potential etiology when dealing with such patients.

Hemifacial spasm

1982 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 753-756 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tsutomu Iwakuma ◽  
Akihisa Matsumoto ◽  
Nishio Nakamura
Keyword(s):  
Facial Nerve ◽  
Hemifacial Spasm ◽  
Microvascular Decompression ◽  
Nerve Root ◽  
Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Stylomastoid Foramen ◽  
Root Exit Zone ◽  
Selective Neurectomy ◽  
Fine Print

✓ Patients with hemifacial spasm were treated by three different surgical procedures: 1) partial sectioning of the facial nerve just distal to the stylomastoid foramen; 2) selective neurectomy of facial nerve branches; and 3) microvascular decompression. A retromastoid craniectomy with microvascular decompression was most effective in relieving hemifacial spasm and synkinesis. In a postmorten examination on one patient, microscopic examination of the facial nerve, which was compressed by an arterial loop of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery at the cerebellopontine angle, revealed fascicular demyelination in the nerve root. On the basis of surgical treatment, electromyography, and neuropathological findings, the authors conclude that compression of the facial nerve root exit zone by vascular structures is the main cause of hemifacial spasm and synkinesis.

scholarly journals Dissecting Aneurysm of the Vertebral Artery Developed after Microvascular Decompression for Hemifacial Spasm

2006 ◽  
Vol 12 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 145-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Kudo ◽  
K. Iihara ◽  
K. Murao ◽  
K. Hayashi ◽  
J. Ayabe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vertebral Artery ◽  
Hemifacial Spasm ◽  
Microvascular Decompression ◽  
De Novo ◽  
Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery ◽  
Dissecting Aneurysm ◽  
Left Vertebral Artery ◽  
Root Exit Zone ◽  
Detachable Coils ◽  
One Year

We report a rare case of a ruptured de novo dissecting aneurysm induced by ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate. A 39-year-old woman underwent microvascular decompression for left hemifacial spasm. The offending vessel was left posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA). Left vertebral artery (VA) was mobilized and affixed to the dura mater with cyanoacrylate to remove pressure of PICA to the root exit zone of the facial nerve. The left VA was found to be intact at the time of the operation. One year later, the patient sufferd subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) caused by rupture of a newly-developed dissecting aneurysm of the left VA. Endovascular occlusion of the dissecting site was performed using Guglielmi detachable coils. We suppose mechanical injury and chemical reaction of ethyl 2-cyanoacrylate induced dissecting aneurysm.

Outcome of Endoscope-Assisted Microvascular Decompression in Patients With Hemifacial Spasm Caused by Severe Indentation of the Brain Stem at the Pontomedullary Sulcus by the Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ehab El Refaee ◽  
Steffen Fleck ◽  
Marc Matthes ◽  
Sascha Marx ◽  
Joerg Baldauf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Facial Nerve ◽  
Brain Stem ◽  
Hemifacial Spasm ◽  
Microvascular Decompression ◽  
Posterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery ◽  
Transitional Zone ◽  
Effective Treatment Option ◽  
Cerebellar Artery ◽  
The Brain

Abstract BACKGROUND Microvascular decompression (MVD) is the most effective treatment option for hemifacial spasm (HFS). However, deeply located forms of compression would require proper identification to allow for adequate decompression. OBJECTIVE To describe the usefulness of endoscopic visualization in one of the most challenging compression patterns in HFS, where the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) loop is severely indenting the brain stem at the proximal root exit zone of facial nerve along the pontomedullary sulcus. METHODS Radiological and operative data were checked for all patients in whom severe indentation of the brainstem by PICA at pontomedullary sulcus was recorded and endoscope-assisted MVD was performed. Clinical correlation and outcome were analyzed. RESULTS A total of 58 patients with HFS were identified with radiological and surgical evidence proving brainstem indentation at the VII transitional zone. In 31 patients, PICA was the offending vessel to the facial nerve. In 3 patients, the PICA loop was mobilized under visualization of a 45° endoscope. A total of 31 patients had a mean follow-up duration of 52.1 mo. The mean duration between start of complaints and surgery was 7.2 yr. In the last follow-up, all patients had remarkable spasm improvement. A total of 5 patients had more than 90% disappearance of spasms and 26 patients experienced spasm-free outcome. CONCLUSION Although severe indentation of brain stem implies morphological damage, outcome after MVD is excellent. A 45° endoscope is extremely helpful to identify compression down at the pontomedullary sulcus. Deeply located compression site can easily be missed with microscopic inspection alone.

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