Rare case of trigeminal neuralgia due to vascular compression presenting with severe headache – A case report

Abstract

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a nerve disorder of the face. Tic douloureux is another name for it. It is regarded to be among the most severe human illnesses. A 55-year-old elderly female with a migraine background appeared with a severe headache and terrible intermittent ache on the left part of her face for the previous 3 weeks. Migraine medicines and over-the-counter analgesics did not ease the agony. A magnetic resonance imaging scan with contrast demonstrated direct contact between the superior cerebellar artery and the trigeminal nerve on the left face. Oral medicine is the primary way of management for TN due to its non-invasiveness, minimal price, and effectiveness rate. Surgical therapy for TN tries to release the strain of the problematic artery or vein pressing the trigeminal nerve, halting the uncontrolled pain impulses. A crucial requirement for TN diagnosis is pain that cannot be ascribed to any other scenario and the absence of any apparent CNS pathology. Patients will be relieved from discomfort and unneeded dental and medical therapy if they receive an early, accurate diagnosis, and formulate an ideal therapy plan based on their age and general health. This article aims to present a case of classical TN caused by vascular compression that presented with severe headache and was successfully treated with microvascular decompression surgery.