title: Microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia secondary to vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia. Case report, literature review, and pooled case analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia is a condition in which there is elongation and dilatation of the vertebral and basilar arteries. Few studies have been reported that focus on cases of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) secondary to vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia (VD) and treated by microvascular decompression (MD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A case is presented of trigeminal neuralgia caused by vertebral artery compression. An analysis of the microsurgical technique, as well as a systematic review of the literature about this uncommon nerve compression is performed, in order to investigate, by pooled case analysis, if MD is a good option for this type of patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 7 studies were included for analysis, to which the present case was added, making a total of 56 patents. There were excellent results in 53 cases, and partial recovery in 3, with a mean follow up of 54 months. No major complications were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The good clinical results and absence of postoperative mortality or severe morbidity in our pooled case series lead us to recommend MD as the preferred treatment for TN caused by VD in patients in whom major surgery is not contraindicated.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Vascular Neurosurgery, Hospital Universitario Río Hortega, Valladolid, Spain. Electronic address: iarrese14@yahoo.es.
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Arrese
authors.affiliation: Unit of Vascular Neurosurgery, Hospital Universitario Río Hortega, Valladolid, Spain.
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sarabia
mesh_terms: D001488:Basilar Artery; D006801:Humans; D061145:Microvascular Decompression Surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014277:Trigeminal Neuralgia / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014711:Vertebral Artery; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000150:complications*
keywords: Descompresión microvascular; Dolicoectasia vertebrobasilar; Microvascular decompression; Neuralgia del trigémino; Trigeminal neuralgia; Vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia