Vertigo Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Vertigo, including details on causes, symptoms, treatment, dizziness.

Microvascular decompression of cochleovestibular nerve.

Yap L, Pothula VB, Lesser T

The Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Aintree, Liverpool, UK. leesien@tiscali.co.uk

The role of microvascular decompression (MVD) in the management of trigeminal neuralgia, hemifacial spasms and glossopharyngeal neuralgia is well-established. However, controversy persisted as to the use of MVD in cochleovestibular neurovascular compression syndrome. This report provides a review of all the published studies on MVD of the eighth (8th) nerve in alleviating cochleovestibular symptoms and presents three additional patients who underwent MVD of the eighth nerve for tinnitus or vertigo. Nineteen studies were identified. Five were case reports. The remaining have sample sizes ranging from 4 to 207 patients. Quantitative and qualitative reviews of all studies were performed, focusing on the selection criteria for surgery, efficacy and safety of the procedure. Selection criteria for surgery were variable. No standardised outcome measures were used and all studies rely on patient subjective assessment of surgical outcome. Nonetheless, the results suggest that MVD of the eighth nerve produces good outcome with low morbidity in selected cases.

Published 18 June 2008 in Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol, 265(8): 861-9.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2008 Vertigo Research Today. All Rights Reserved.