Microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia: A retrospective analysis of long-term outcomes and prognostic factors / Descompresión microvascular en la neuralgia del trigémino: análisis retrospectivo de los resultados a largo plazo e identificación de factores pronósticos

Introduction: Microvascular decompression is considered to be the most effective and onlyetiological surgical treatment for classical trigeminal neuralgia, relieving the neurovascularcompression found in up to 95% of cases. This study aims to report the long-term outcomesand to identify prognostic factors in a series of patients with trigeminal neuralgia treated bymicrovascular decompression. Methods: A retrospective observational study of 152 consecutive patients operated bymicrovascular decompression with at least six months of follow-up. The surgical results, includ-ing pain relief according to the Barrow Neurological Institute pain scale, complications and themedical treatment during the follow-up period were reviewed. Binary regression analysis wasperformed to identify factors associated with a good long-term outcome. Results: A total of 152 patients with a mean age of 60 years and a mean follow-up of 43 monthswere included. At the final follow-up visit, 83% of the patients had achieved significant reliefof the pain and 63% could reduce the absolute drug doses by 50% or more. The most frequentcomplications were wound infection (4.5%) and CSF fistula (7%). Being over 70 years of age andhaving paroxysmal pain were associated with a long-term pain relief.(AU)

Introducción: La descompresión microvascular se considera el tratamiento quirúrgico etiológico más eficaz de la neuralgia clásica del trigémino, dirigido a aliviar la compresión neurovascular identificada hasta en un 95% de casos. Este estudio tiene como objetivo analizar los resultados quirúrgicos y la evolución a largo plazo de una serie de pacientes con neuralgia del trigémino tratados mediante descompresión microvascular, así como identificar factores pronósticos. Métodos: Estudio observacional retrospectivo de 152 pacientes consecutivos sometidos a descompresión microvascular y con un seguimiento posquirúrgico mínimo de seis meses. Analizamos los resultados quirúrgicos, clasificando el grado de dolor según la escala del Instituto Neurológico de Barrow, las complicaciones y el tratamiento médico requerido durante el período de seguimiento. Realizamos un análisis de regresión binaria para identificar factores asociados con un buen resultado a largo plazo. Resultados: Incluimos 152 pacientes con una edad media de 60 años y un seguimiento medio de 43 meses. En la última visita de seguimiento, el 83% de los pacientes había logrado un alivio significativo del dolor y el 63% pudo reducir la dosis absoluta de fármacos para la neuralgia en un 50% o más. Las complicaciones más frecuentes fueron infección de la herida (4,5%) y fístula de LCR (7%). La edad superior a 70 años y el dolor de predominio paroxístico se asociaron con un mejor pronóstico. Conclusiones: Nuestros resultados apoyan que la descompresión microvascular es una terapia efectiva y segura en pacientes con neuralgia del trigémino. La cirugía temprana puede ser beneficiosa en pacientes refractarios al tratamiento farmacológico.(AU)

Microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia: A retrospective analysis of long-term outcomes and prognostic factors.

INTRODUCTION: Microvascular decompression is considered to be the most effective and only etiological surgical treatment for classical trigeminal neuralgia, relieving the neurovascular compression found in up to 95% of cases. This study aims to report the long-term outcomes and to identify prognostic factors in a series of patients with trigeminal neuralgia treated by microvascular decompression. METHODS: A retrospective observational study of 152 consecutive patients operated by microvascular decompression with at least six months of follow-up. The surgical results, including pain relief according to the Barrow Neurological Institute pain scale, complications and the medical treatment during the follow-up period were reviewed. Binary regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with a good long-term outcome. RESULTS: A total of 152 patients with a mean age of 60 years and a mean follow-up of 43 months were included. At the final follow-up visit, 83% of the patients had achieved significant relief of the pain and 63% could reduce the absolute drug doses by 50% or more. The most frequent complications were wound infection (4.5%) and CSF fistula (7%). Being over 70 years of age and having paroxysmal pain were associated with a long-term pain relief. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the notion that microvascular decompression is an effective and safe therapy in patients with trigeminal neuralgia. A multidisciplinary approach with an early referral to a neurosurgical unit many be beneficial in patients who are refractory to pharmacological treatment.

Decision-making and frontoparietal resting-state functional connectivity among impulsive-compulsive diagnoses. Insights from a Bayesian approach.

The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) is one of the most widely used paradigms for assessing decision-making. An impairment in this process may be linked to several psychopathological disorders, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), substance abuse disorder (SUD) or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which could make it a good candidate for being consider a transdiagnostic domain. Resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) has been proposed as a promising biomarker of decision-making. In this study, we aimed to identify idiosyncratic decision-making profiles among healthy people and impulsive-compulsive spectrum patients during the IGT, and to investigate the role of frontoparietal network (FPN) rsFC as a possible biomarker of different decision-making patterns. Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), rsFC of 114 adults (34 controls; 25 OCD; 41 SUD; 14 ADHD) was obtained. Then, they completed the IGT. Hybrid clustering methods based on individual deck choices yielded three decision-makers subgroups. Cluster 1 (n = 27) showed a long-term advantageous strategy. Cluster 2 (n = 25) presented a maladaptive decision-making strategy. Cluster 3 (n = 62) did not develop a preference for any deck during the task. Interestingly, the proportion of participants in each cluster was not different between diagnostic groups. A Bayesian general linear model showed no credible differences in the IGT performance between diagnostic groups nor credible evidence to support the role of FPN rsFC as a biomarker of decision-making under the IGT context. This study highlights the importance of exploring in depth the behavioral and neurophysiological variables that may drive decision-making in clinical and healthy populations.

Microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia: A retrospective analysis of long-term outcomes and prognostic factors.

INTRODUCTION: Microvascular decompression is considered to be the most effective and only etiological surgical treatment for classical trigeminal neuralgia, relieving the neurovascular compression found in up to 95% of cases. This study aims to report the long-term outcomes and to identify prognostic factors in a series of patients with trigeminal neuralgia treated by microvascular decompression. METHODS: A retrospective observational study of 152 consecutive patients operated by microvascular decompression with at least six months of follow-up. The surgical results, including pain relief according to the Barrow Neurological Institute pain scale, complications and the medical treatment during the follow-up period were reviewed. Binary regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with a good long-term outcome. RESULTS: A total of 152 patients with a mean age of 60 years and a mean follow-up of 43 months were included. At the final follow-up visit, 83% of the patients had achieved significant relief of the pain and 63% could reduce the absolute drug doses by 50% or more. The most frequent complications were wound infection (4.5%) and CSF fistula (7%). Being over 70 years of age and having paroxysmal pain were associated with a long-term pain relief. CONCLUSIONS: Our results support the notion that microvascular decompression is an effective and safe therapy in patients with trigeminal neuralgia. A multidisciplinary approach with an early referral to a neurosurgical unit many be beneficial in patients who are refractory to pharmacological treatment.