Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34218323›Full record

ArticleActa neurochirurgica2021

Feasibility of underwater microvascular decompression for hemifacial spasm: a technical note.

Kenichiro Iwami, Tadashi Watanabe, Mao Yokota, Masato Hara, Koji Osuka, Shigeru Miyachi

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In one paragraph

Article in Acta neurochirurgica, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Kenichiro IwamiDepartment of Neurosurgery, Aichi Medical University, 1-1 Yazakokarimata, Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture, 480-1195, Japan. iwamins@gmail.com.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3962-9573
Tadashi WatanabeDepartment of Neurosurgery, Aichi Medical University, 1-1 Yazakokarimata, Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture, 480-1195, Japan.
Mao YokotaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Aichi Medical University, 1-1 Yazakokarimata, Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture, 480-1195, Japan.
Masato HaraDepartment of Neurosurgery, Aichi Medical University, 1-1 Yazakokarimata, Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture, 480-1195, Japan.
Koji OsukaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Aichi Medical University, 1-1 Yazakokarimata, Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture, 480-1195, Japan.
Shigeru MiyachiDepartment of Neurosurgery, Aichi Medical University, 1-1 Yazakokarimata, Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture, 480-1195, Japan.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWe present a case series of underwater microvascular decompression (MVD) for hemifacial spasm (HFS) and an evaluation of its feasibility and safety.

methodsThis retrospective study was conducted at a single institution and included 20 patients with HFS who underwent underwater MVD between September 2019 and January 2021. Surgery was performed in 3 steps, as follows: exoscopic wound opening (soft tissue, bone, dura, and arachnoid around the cerebellomedullary cistern), underwater endoscopic surgery (decompression of the facial nerve), and exoscopic wound closure. In underwater endoscopic surgery, the surgical field was continuously irrigated with artificial cerebrospinal fluid. Abnormal muscle response and brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) were monitored.

resultsNeurovascular conflicts were clearly observed in all patients without fogging and soiling of the endoscope lens. HFS was completely relieved in 19 patients (95%). An amplitude reduction of wave V of BAEPs of more than 50% was not observed in any of the cases. In 5 cases (25%), the latency of wave V of BAEPs was prolonged for more than 1.0 ms; these changes completely or near completely returned to baseline values at dural closure in all 5 cases. A postoperative complication of transient facial palsy was observed in 1 patient (5%) during postoperative days 10-30. There were no other complications.

conclusionsOur findings suggest that underwater MVD is a safe and feasible option for the treatment of HFS. However, it did not show advantages over conventional endoscopic MVD when the protective effect on the eighth cranial nerve was evaluated.

Indexed as

Hearing LossHemifacial SpasmMicrovascular Decompression SurgeryFeasibility StudiesHumansPostoperative ComplicationsRetrospective StudiesTreatment OutcomeEndoscopicHemifacial spasmMicrovascular decompressionUnderwater

Identifiers

PMID34218323

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.