Headaches after acoustic neuroma surgery.
Headache and depression were studied in patients who had undergone operation for acoustic neuroma. A questionnaire with headache and Beck Depression Inventory scale were sent to 228 patients, of whom 192 (84%) responded. Preoperative headache was reported by 61 (32%) of the respondents (47 migraine and nine tension-type headache) and 122 (64%) respondents had postoperative headache (15 new migraine and four new tension-type headache). The new postoperative headache was chronic (>/=3 months) in 86% and continued at the time of the survey in 55% and presented typically as severe short-lasting attacks provoked by physical stress, bending or coughing. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were effective in most cases. Depression (usually mild) occurred in 24% of the respondents, being significantly more common in prolonged postoperative headache patients. The operation doubled the prevalence of headache (from 32% to 64%). Headache after acoustic neuroma operation appears to be a specific subgroup of postcraniotomy headache.
Rimaaja
T
T
Institute of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland. tuomas.rimaaja@gmail.com
Haanpää
M
M
Blomstedt
G
G
Färkkilä
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003399:Craniotomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000145:classification* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000601:surgery*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal