title: Hemifacial spasm due to contralateral aneurysmal compression of the facial nerve successfully treated with endovascular coil embolization: case report.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hemifacial spasm is usually caused by compression of the facial nerve at the root exit zone (REZ), whereas fusiform aneurysmal compression is extremely rare. The authors describe symptomatic hemifacial spasm caused by a contralateral fusiform aneurysm of the vertebral artery (VA) that was treated by endovascular coil embolization.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 55-year-old woman developed left hemifacial spasm that had gradually worsened over a period of 2 years before admission to our hospital. Cerebral angiography showed an elongated right VA fusiform aneurysm near the VA union that inclined toward the left side. The cause of the facial spasm was considered to be compression of the left facial nerve REZ by the aneurysm. Endovascular parent artery embolization including the aneurysm was performed. The hemifacial spasm disappeared within 3 months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hemifacial spasm caused by contralateral VA fusiform aneurysm can be treated by intravascular parent artery occlusion with coil embolization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Nara Medical University, Nara, Japan. nakagawa@nmu-gw.naramed-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Katsutoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takayama
authors.forename: Shinichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kurokawa
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakagawa
authors.forename: Kimihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kichikawa
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakase
mesh_terms: D000783:Aneurysm / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic / Q000379:methods*; D005155:Facial Nerve Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D019569:Hemifacial Spasm / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008875:Middle Aged; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000150:complications; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000473:pathology*