Microvascular Decompression

What is microvascular decompression?

Microvascular decompression is a surgery that focuses on relieving abnormal compression of the cranial nerve. This nerve sits at the base of your brainstem within your skull and when compressed, can result in painful conditions like trigeminal neuralgia, glossopharyngeal neuralgia, and hemifacial spasms. 

Trigeminal neuralgia

Trigeminal neuralgia describes extreme pain and muscle spasms in your face. Many feel severe, shock-like pain with even gentle touches while brushing their teeth or applying lotion. This condition often results when a blood vessel presses on the nerves of your face.

Glossopharyngeal neuralgia

Glossopharyngeal neuralgia describes extreme pain that affects your tongue, ear, and back of your throat. Shock-like pain sensations develop when you swallow, likely due to nerve compression from nearby blood vessels.

Hemifacial spasms

Hemifacial spasms involve involuntary twitching and abnormal contraction of the facial muscles. This condition usually affects just one side of your face and might be the result of nerve compression or an injury to the facial nerve.

What can I expect during microvascular decompression?

During a microvascular decompression procedure, your surgeon at Apex Spine and Neurosurgery opens your skull to expose the compressed cranial nerve. This involves making an incision behind your ear and using a drill to create an opening in your skull.

Once the nerve is visible, your surgeon inserts a small sponge between the nerve and the blood vessel that’s compressing it.

The sponge effectively separates the structures to relieve pressure and protect the nerve from the pulsating effect coming from the blood vessel. This separation relieves your symptoms quickly and provides you with long-lasting results.

How long does it take to recover from microvascular decompression?

Immediately following your surgery, you spend time recovering from anesthesia. You can expect to spend the night in the hospital under close observation. Your Apex Spine and Neurosurgery provider works closely with you to ensure your pain is under control. When you’re stable, your surgeon may recommend a gradual increase in your activity to help you recover more efficiently.

In the days after microvascular decompression, you should avoid strenuous activities, like high-impact exercise and heavy lifting. You also need to follow instructions to properly care for your incision to reduce your risk for bleeding and infection. Your provider can tell you when it’s safe to return to work and your usual routine during your checkup after surgery.

Microvascular decompression has a high rate of success for treating trigeminal neuralgia and other conditions while preventing the return of your symptoms. 

Your Apex Spine and Neurosurgery physician continues to monitor your postsurgical healing process to ensure treatment is working well for you and that you experience no swelling, pain, facial numbness, or other possible side effects of microvascular decompression.

If the intense facial pain of trigeminal neuralgia or other condition is limiting what you can do, schedule a diagnostic evaluation at Apex Spine and Neurosurgery. You can request an appointment by phone or through the online booking feature.