Abstract: ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical effect of microsurgical treatment of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) related to cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumors.MethodsClinical data of 78 patients undergoing microsurgical treatment of TN related to CPA tumors between Nov 1, 2011 and Dec 31, 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. The CPA tumors included cholesteatoma (n=31, 39.7%), meningioma (n=18, 23.1%), acoustic neuroma (n=25, 32.1%), trigeminal neurinoma (n=2, 2.6%) and lipoma (n=2, 2.6%). All tumors were removed microsurgically. In 26 of them, microvascular decompression (MVD) was performed with Teflon gasket during surgical procedure of tumor removal.ResultsTotal tumor resection was achieved in 64 cases, subtotal resection in 10, and partial resection in 4. The symptom got disappeared in 72 patients and relieved in 4, as well as failed in 2. Postoperative followup with duration ranged from 6 to 78 months showed no recurrence. Residual tumor in one patient with partial section of meningioma got enlarged 3 months after operation and lessened after Gamma knife therapy.ConclusionA variety of CPA tumors can result in TN. Microsurgical treatment via suboccipital retrosigmoid approach is the preferred alternative for TN related to CPA tumors. After resection of tumor, MVD should be applied to those with both tumor compression and nerve root vascular compression of trigeminal nerve.
