Abstract

A significant number of cases of trigeminal neuralgia and hemifacial spasm may be related to vascular compression and distortion of the associated cranial nerve near its exit from the brain stem. Microvascular decompression has been advocated as the definitive form of treatment when more conservative measures have failed. In the hands of experienced neurosurgeons the success rate is high and associated morbidity low. The current understanding of these diseases as well as the available therapeutic modalities for their alleviation are presented, with special emphasis on the efficacy of microvascular decompression.