Microvascular decompression surgery for trigeminal neuralgia.

Long-term follow-up data were analyzed to evaluate the surgical results of microvascular decompression (MVD). Among 1,324 patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TGN), who underwent MVD between 1976 and 2000, a consecutive 281 patients were followed and studied for 5-20 years as of the year of 1997. When the data were analyzed and compared in two groups (A: 1976-1986, B: 1987-1991), the postoperative cure rate increased from 92.9 to 96.7%, satisfaction rate with the results of MVD increased from 80.3 to 82.5%, incomplete cure rate decreased from 7.1 to 3.3%, and recurrence rate decreased from 10.2 to 6.5%. Advances in surgical techniques may have increased the success rate in Group B.