title: Surgical technique for trigeminal microvascular decompression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Microvascular decompression (MVD) is a non-ablative technique designed to resolve the neurovascular conflict responsible for typical idiopathic trigeminal neuralgia (TN).
  
  
  METHODS
  With the patient in a supine position, a small elliptical retrosigmoid craniectomy is used to approach the cerebellopontine angle and the trigeminal nerve. After careful exploration of the trigeminal root entry zone, the offending vessel is identified and moved away. Oxidized regenerated cellulose is used to keep the vessel in its new position far from the nerve.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MVD represents the gold standard first line treatment for TN; its aim is to free the nerve from any contact.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico Carlo Besta, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Broggi
authors.forename: Morgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Broggi
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ferroli
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Franzini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003399:Craniotomy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D061145:Microvascular Decompression Surgery / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D013525:Surgical Instruments / Q000592:standards; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000601:surgery*