Complications such as hearing loss, tinnitus, facial paralysis, vertigo, wound infection and dehiscence, and cerebrospinal fluid leakage may occur after microvascular decompression.
Microvascular decompression is an important means of treating cerebral neurovascular compression syndromes such as trigeminal neuralgia, facial muscle spasm, and glossopharyngeal neuralgia by using decompression materials such as spacers to separate the blood vessels compressing the nerve roots from the compressed nerves.
Microvascular decompression has the advantages of being minimally invasive, effective, and able to preserve nerve integrity and physiological function, but there is also the possibility of complications.
1. Hearing impairment: it may be caused by pulling the auditory nerve or cerebellum during the operation, or it may be related to vascular spasm or injury.
2. Tinnitus: may be related to prolonged exposure or direct stimulation of the cochlear nerve.
3. Facial paralysis: caused by damage to the facial nerve during surgery.
4. Vertigo: damage to the vestibulocochlear nerve or blood vessels during surgery leads to vestibular dysfunction, which in turn produces vertigo symptoms.
5. Wound infection and dehiscence: related to surgical closure techniques, postoperative wound care, and individual patient conditions.
6. Cerebrospinal fluid leakage: Because the meninges have to be opened during the operation, cerebrospinal fluid leakage may occur if the closure is poor.
Patients who develop complications after microvascular decompression should seek medical help promptly.