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Updated: Jul 13, 2025
Microvascular Decompression: Salient Surgical Principles and Technical Nuances
Published on: July 5, 2011
[Surgical treatment of cervical neurovascular bundle tumors]
D Yu Usachev1, V A Lukshin1, A D Akhmedov1
1Burdenko Neurosurgical Center, Moscow, Russia.
Objective:
To determine the main principles of a patient-oriented individual approach to diagnosis and surgical treatment of cervical neurovascular bundle tumors considering the capabilities of neurosurgical hospital.
Material And Methods:
There were 92 patients with cervical soft tissue tumors affecting neurovascular bundle. Age of patients ranged from 9 to 81 years (mean 47). There were 65.1% women and 34.9% men. We found chemodectoma (47.4%), neurofibroma (15.8%), neurinoma (13.2%), papillary thyroid cancer (5.3%), salivary gland heterotopia (5.3%), salivary gland adenocarcinoma (5.3%), Hodgkin lymphoma (2.6%), hemangioendothelioma (2.6%) and cavernous lymphangioma (2.6%). Diagnostic algorithm included neurological examinations, Doppler ultrasound of supra-aortic arteries, transcranial ultrasound of cerebral vessels, MRI of cervical soft tissues, CT-AG, MR-AG, CT-perfusion, direct selective angiography.
Results:
A total of 94 surgical interventions were performed. All surgeries were performed using surgical optics and neurophysiological monitoring of cranial nerves IX, X, XII. We chose resection technique depending on localization, histological features and blood supply of tumor. En-bloc resection was performed in 46 cases, removal of fragments - in 23 cases, intracapsular resection of tumor followed by resection of the capsule - in 26 cases. Total and subtotal resection was performed in 68 (72%) and 23 (24%) cases, respectively. Three (4%) patients underwent partial resection of infiltrative tumors for carotid artery decompression and histological analysis. In 76% of cases, baseline symptoms of disease regressed after surgery. Persistent moderate bulbar disorders were observed in 16 patients (17%). Ischemic complications with additional surgical interventions were observed in 2 cases.
Conclusion:
Patients with cervical soft tissue tumors require individual approach regarding choosing the optimal surgical treatment including possible preoperative embolization of tumor, en-bloc or intracapsular resection and carotid artery repair.
