Recurrent Trigeminal Neuralgia Caused by a Subsequently Developed Offending Artery Within a Short Period

Recurrent trigeminal neuralgia after successful microvascular decompression is not rare.

A 72-year-old woman who presented with typical right trigeminal neuralgia had been successfully treated by microvascular decompression with transposition of the superior cerebellar artery. However, she complained of trigeminal neuralgia on the ipsilateral side 14 months after the microvascular decompression. Redo microvascular decompression showed that the anterior inferior cerebellar artery, which had not been detected at the initial surgery, compressed the right trigeminal nerve.

This case is an unusual type of recurrent trigeminal neuralgia because of a subsequently developed offending vessel within a short period.