Abstract
Radiosurgery to the right fifth cranial nerve was performed with the Gamma Knife on a 39- year-old patient who presented with classic symptoms of trigeminal neuralgia (TN), but was found on imaging studies to harbour a small intrinsic vascular malformation within the nerve. Based on size and drainage, the arteriovenous malformation (AVM) was Spetzler-Martin Grade III and no previous history of bleeding was reported. The patient had failed a trial of carbamazepine, and no surgical procedures had been performed. A decrease in symptoms was reported by the 6-month follow- up. A review of the literature on microAVM-induced TN is provided as well as a discussion of management.
Key words: Trigeminal neuralgia, Radiosurgery, Arteriovenous malformation, Gamma Knife, Cerebellopontine angle
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