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Updated: Aug 19, 2026
Microvascular Decompression: Salient Surgical Principles and Technical Nuances
Published on: July 5, 2011
Cavernous malformation of the trigeminal nerve manifesting with trigeminal neuralgia: case report
Vivek R Deshmukh1, Jonathan S Hott, Peyman Tabrizi
1Division of Neurological Surgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona 85013, USA.
Objective And Importance:
We describe a patient with a cavernous malformation within the trigeminal nerve at the nerve root entry zone who presented with trigeminal neuralgia.
Clinical Presentation:
A 52-year-old woman sought treatment after experiencing dizziness and lancinating left facial pain for almost a year. Neurological examination revealed diminished sensation in the distribution of the trigeminal nerve on the left. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a minimally enhancing lesion affecting the trigeminal nerve.
Intervention:
The patient underwent a retrosigmoid craniotomy. At the nerve root entry zone, the trigeminal nerve was edematous with hemosiderin staining. The lesion, which was resected with microsurgical technique, had the appearance of a cavernous malformation on gross and histological examination. The patient's pain improved significantly after resection.
Conclusion:
Cavernous malformations can afflict the trigeminal nerve and cause trigeminal neuralgia. Microsurgical excision can be performed safely and is associated with improvement in symptoms.
