title: An investigation into quality of life improvement in patients undergoing microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm.
abstract: OBJECTIVE Hemifacial spasm (HFS) is a movement disorder characterized by involuntary spasms of the facial muscles, and it can negatively impact quality of life (QOL). This retrospective study and systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted to investigate the QOL in patients with HFS following intervention with microvascular decompression (MVD) and botulinum toxin (BT). METHODS In the retrospective analysis, a QOL questionnaire was administered to all patients undergoing MVD performed by a single surgeon. The QOL questionnaire included unique questions developed based on the authors' experience with HFS patients in addition to the health-related QOL HFS-8 questionnaire. The authors also report on a systematic review of the English literature providing outcomes and complications in patients with HFS undergoing treatment with either MVD or BT. RESULTS Regarding the retrospective analysis, 242 of 331 patients completed the questionnaire. The mean score of the 10 QOL questions improved from 22.78 (SD 9.83) to 2.17 (SD 5.75) following MVD (p < 0.001). There was significant improvement across all subscales of the questionnaire between pre- and postoperative responses (p < 0.001). Regarding the systematic review, it is reported that approximately 90% of patients undergoing MVD for HFS experience a complete recovery from symptoms, whereas the mean peak improvement of symptoms following treatment with BT is 77%. Furthermore, patients undergoing MVD reported a greater improvement in the mean supplemental index of QOL as compared with patients receiving BT therapy. CONCLUSIONS Microvascular decompression offers a significant improvement in QOL in well-selected patients suffering from HFS, and may offer an increased benefit for QOL over BT injections.
authors.affiliation: 1University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Jesse D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Lawrence
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; and.
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Frederickson
authors.affiliation: 2Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; and.
authors.forename: Yue-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: 3Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Patricia M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: 1University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.|2Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; and.
authors.forename: Peter C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Gerszten
authors.affiliation: 1University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.|2Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; and.
authors.forename: Raymond F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Sekula
mesh_terms: D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D019569:Hemifacial Spasm / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D061145:Microvascular Decompression Surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D009465:Neuromuscular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D009465:Neuromuscular Agents; D001905:Botulinum Toxins
keywords: BT = botulinum toxin; HFS = hemifacial spasm; HRQOL = health-related quality of life; MVD = microvascular decompression; SI = supplemental index; botulinum toxin; functional neurosurgery; hemifacial spasm; microvascular decompression; quality of life