[Surgical treatment of trigeminal neuralgia--neurovascular decompression established by Jannetta]

The etiology of trigeminal neuralgia has been unknown. However, recently, trigeminal neuralgia is believed to be caused by vascular cross compression at the root entry zone of the trigeminal nerve. Posterior cranial fossa approach for the neurovascular decompression was enhanced by Jannetta et al. They emphasized that the pain was relieved by surgery. In this report, we will discuss the operative findings and results in a series of 8 patients who have undergone neurovascular decompression. The postoperative progress in all of these patients was excellent and relieved of the pain. There was neither mortality nor any significant complication. We stress that the neurovascular decompression surgery is now well justified as the definite treatment for the trigeminal neuralgia.