[Causes of ineffectiveness of microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm].
OBJECTIVE
To study causes of ineffectiveness of microvascular decompression (MVD) in treatment of hemifacial spasm (HFS).


METHODS
Reoperative MVD was performed in 23 HFS patients with previous ineffective MVD. In the patients, the main causes of ineffectiveness included misjudgment of compressing vessels (7 patients), improper insertion of decompressing grafts (9), improper selection of grafts (5) and small grafts (2).


RESULTS
Symptoms of HFS disappeared immediately after the second MVD in 21 patients and delayed in 2 patients (after 2 weeks, 6 weeks). No recurrence of HFS was noted during the follow-up period of 1.0 - 6.0 years (mean 3.4 years).


CONCLUSIONS
MVD is an effective microsurgical method for treating HFS. Accurate judgement of compressing vessels and proper decompression are the key to surgical effectiveness.
Yuan
Yue
Y
Department of Neurosurgery, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Ministry of Health, Beijing 100029, China.
Zhang
Li
L
Zhang
Si-xun
SX
Yu
Yan-bing
YB
Chen
Guo-qiang
GQ
Zhao
Kui-ming
KM
Guo
Jing
J
Zuo
Huan-cong
HC
D000328:Adult; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019569:Hemifacial Spasm / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018447:Medical Futility; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult