ABSTRACT
Objective:To observe the efficacy of trigeminal nerve microvascular decompression in the treatment of elderly trigeminal neuralgia.Methods:A total of 96 elderly patients with trigeminal neuralgia admitted to our hospital from January 2015 to June 2016 were selected.48 patients were treated with percutaneous trigeminal semilunar ganglion radiofrequency thermocoagulation as a control group, and the other 48 patients were treated with trigeminal nerve microvascular decompression as the observation group.Efficacy indicators of post-operative pain severity scores, severity scores of post-operative complications, a sum of two categories of severity scores, which were compared between the two groups at one month and at 1, 3, 5 years after surgery.Results:One month after the operation, there was no significant differences in pain severity score, surgical complications severity scores, and a sum of two categories severity scores between the two groups of patients(all P>0.05). In the observation group versus the control group, pain severity scores were[(0.55±0.39)scores versus(0.94±0.61)scores, t=7.572, P=0.011 at 1 year after operation], [(0.81±0.61)versus(1.19±0.83)scores, t=7.513, P=0.012 at 3 years after operation]and[(1.13±0.65)and(1.55±0.91)scores, t=7.837, P=0.010 at 5 years after operation]respectively, showing more efficacy in observation group.In the observation group versus the control group, severity scores of surgical complications were[(0.39±0.28)and(0.67±0.49)scores, t=7.290, P=0.014, at 1 year after operation], [(0.65±0.37)and(0.94±0.55)scores, t=7.353, P=0.013 at 3 years after operation]and[(0.80±0.35)and(1.13±0.64)scores, t=7.475, P=0.012 at 5 years after operation], respectively, showing more efficacy in observation group.In the observation group versus the control group, overall efficacy from a sum of the two categories of severity scores were[(0.72±0.35)and(1.33±0.56)scorets, t=7.701, P=0.009 at 1 year after operation], [(1.21±0.49)and(1.78±0.70)scores, t=7.580, P=0.011 at 3 years after operation]and[(1.46±0.55)and(2.24±1.03)scores, t=8.026, P=0.007 at 5 years after operation], respectively, showing more efficacy in observation group.Overall, above three severity scores were lower than in the observation group than in the control group(all P<0.05). Conclusions:For elderly patients with trigeminal neuralgia, trigeminal nerve microvascular decompression has definite efficacy, long duration of pain relief, low incidence of surgical complications, and is safe and reliable, which is worthy of clinical application.