Mumtaz Ali, Hamzullah Khan.
Neuro-vascular conflict as causative factor in idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia.
Rawal Med J Jan ;33(1):33-5.

Objective: To determine neuro-vascular conflicts as causative agent in idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia. Material and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in department of neurosurgery, Lady Ready Hospital Peshawar, from May 2003 to April 2007. Resistant idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia cases were included in the study. After detailed clinical and radiological examination, all underwent microvascular decompression. Result: Eighty Six patients were operated. There were 54 male and 32 female patients with age ranging from 43-58 years. Microvascular compression was performed in 79 patients while rests of patient`s were having other causative factor. Maxillary division involvement was recorded in 73.25% cases. Distribution of involvement of side in trigeminal neuralgia (TN) was: right side TN (53.48%), left side TN (44.18%) and bilateral in 2.32% patients. Absent arterial loop was recorded in 76 cases, of those three patients were having absent veins. Superior cerebellar artery was noted as conflicting agent in 61 patients and anterior inferior cerebellar artery in 20 cases. Basilar artery was seen in one patient as compression element. Conclusion: Idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia is commonly the result of aberrant vascular loop compression. Superior cerebellar and anterior inferior cerebellar arteries are common vessel of the compression. (Rawal Med J 2008;33:33-35).

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