SynthesisNeurosurgery2020
Pain Outcomes Following Microvascular Decompression for Drug-Resistant Trigeminal Neuralgia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.
Synthesis in Neurosurgery, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 65 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
65 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 140 citations in OpenAlex.
- From microvascular decompression to radiosurgery: a network meta-analysis of interventions for medication-refractory trigeminal neuralgia.Neurosurgical review · 2026Pooled it
- When the nerve keeps firing: an institutional experience and systematic review on delayed response after microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia.Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology · 2024Pooled it
- Recurrence Rates After Microvascular Decompression in Patients With Primary Trigeminal Neuralgia and Its Influencing Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Based on 8,172 Surgery Patients.Frontiers in neurology · 2021Pooled it
- Spasm Freedom Following Microvascular Decompression for Hemifacial Spasm: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.World neurosurgery · 2020Pooled it
- Efficacy and Safety of Microvascular Decompression in Patients with Trigeminal Neuralgia Previously Treated with Gamma Knife Stereotactic Radiosurgery.Brain sciences · 2026Article
- Neural Mechanisms and Brain Alterations in Orofacial Pain: A Narrative Review of Human Neuroimaging.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Cognitive Impairment and Central Sleep Apnea Secondary to Tortuous Vertebral Artery Compression of the Medulla, Mimicking Alzheimer's Disease.Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan) · 2026Article
- Preoperative imaging evaluation of primary trigeminal neuralgia using 3D TOF-MRA and 3D FIESTA-c: A retrospective study of 412 cases.Journal of neurology · 2026Article
- Nomogram prediction model for pain recurrence in patients with trigeminal neuralgia after microvascular decompression.Neurosurgical review · 2026Article
- Peripheral Pulsed Radiofrequency for Trigeminal Neuralgia: Early Efficacy with Limited Durability in a Real-World Cohort.Journal of clinical medicine · 2026Article
- Quantitative Sensory Testing Identifies Altered Thermal and Pain Processing in Trigeminal Neuralgia.European journal of neurology · 2026Article
- Real-World Diagnostic Phenotypes and Treatment Pathways in Trigeminal Pain: A Retrospective Tertiary-Center Cohort-Diagnostic Phenotypes in Trigeminal Pain.Neurology international · 2026Article
- Pivotal Factors for Minimizing the Risks of Therapeutic Failure in Trigeminal Neuralgia and Hemifacial Spasm.Current pain and headache reports · 2026Review
- Microvascular Decompression of the Medulla: A Case Report and Review of the Surgical Management.Cureus · 2025Article
- Efficacy of a modified cranial closure technique with bone cement in reducing postoperative complications following microvascular decompression surgery: a retrospective cohort study.European journal of medical research · 2025Article
- Outcomes and predictive factors after second stereotactic radiosurgery for refractory trigeminal neuralgia.Clinical and translational radiation oncology · 2025Article
- Long-Term Effectiveness of Early Versus Late Microvascular Decompression for Trigeminal Neuralgia Secondary to Arterial Compression.European journal of neurology · 2025Article
- Resolution of refractory trigeminal neuralgia after endoscopic decompression of the foramina rotundum and ovale in a patient with bilateral petrous apex cephaloceles: illustrative case.Journal of neurosurgery. Case lessons · 2025Article
- Trigeminal Neuralgia: Disease Characterization and Prediction of Response to Surgical Intervention.Current pain and headache reports · 2025Review
- Microvascular decompression: a contemporary update.BMC surgery · 2025Review
5 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundMicrovascular decompression (MVD) is a potentially curative surgery for drug-resistant trigeminal neuralgia (TN). Predictors of pain freedom after MVD are not fully understood.
objectiveTo describe rates and predictors for pain freedom following MVD.
methodsUsing preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Scopus were queried for primary studies examining pain outcomes after MVD for TN published between 1988 and March 2018. Potential biases were assessed for included studies. Pain freedom (ie, Barrow Neurological Institute score of 1) at last follow-up was the primary outcome measure. Variables associated with pain freedom on preliminary analysis underwent formal meta-analysis. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for possible predictors.
resultsOutcome data were analyzed for 3897 patients from 46 studies (7 prospective, 39 retrospective). Overall, 76.0% of patients achieved pain freedom after MVD with a mean follow-up of 1.7 ± 1.3 (standard deviation) yr. Predictors of pain freedom on meta-analysis using random effects models included (1) disease duration ≤5 yr (OR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.08-3.95); (2) arterial compression over venous or other (OR = 3.35, 95% CI = 1.91-5.88); (3) superior cerebellar artery involvement (OR = 2.02, 95% CI = 1.02-4.03), and (4) type 1 Burchiel classification (OR = 2.49, 95% CI = 1.32-4.67).
conclusionApproximately three-quarters of patients with drug-resistant TN achieve pain freedom after MVD. Shorter disease duration, arterial compression, and type 1 Burchiel classification may predict more favorable outcome. These results may improve patient selection and provider expectations.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.