title: Cerebellopontine angle epidermoids presenting with trigeminal neuralgia.
abstract: We studied the clinical characteristics of cerebellopontine angle (CPA) epidermoids presenting with trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Twenty-four patients were analyzed retrospectively and the literature reviewed with regard to clinical manifestation, imaging features, surgical procedures and prognosis. TN may be the initial symptom of CPA epidermoid, particularly in young patients. Epidermoids are characteristically hypodense nonenhancing lesions on CT scans, while on MRI they exhibit long T1 and T2 relaxation times. Although complete removal is ideal in the surgical management of CPA epidermoid, proximity to cranial nerves and the brain stem may pose technical difficulties in complete resection. In addition to complete resection of the tumour, arterial compression at the root entry zone (REZ) of the trigeminal nerve should be sought, and if found, a microvascular decompression (MVD) should be performed. Cranial nerve dysfunction and aseptic meningitis are the most common operative complications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan, PR China.
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yuguang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Su
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wandong
authors.forename: Zhu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shugan
authors.forename: Wu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chengyuan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D002530:Cerebellopontine Angle / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000379:methods; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012196:Review Literature as Topic; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery