Microvascular Decompression for Hemifacial Spasm??Difficult Case Caused by Abnormal Location of Sigmoid Sinus

Kim, Hoon; Kang, Jeong Han; Kang, Dong Wan; Chang, Jin Woo

Case report

Journal of the Korean Society of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery 2007;3(2):147-148.
Published online September 30, 2007.

Microvascular Decompression for Hemifacial Spasm??Difficult Case Caused by Abnormal Location of Sigmoid Sinus

Hoon Kim, Jeong Han Kang, Dong Wan Kang, Jin Woo Chang

Department of Neurosurgery and Brain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Microvascular decompression (MVD) surgery has become the most definitive treatment for hemifacial spasm (HFS). Today, retromastoid craniectomy for MVD surgery is widely performed and standardized surgical technique has settled. Complications of this procedure are related to the injury of cranial nerves and vessels in the lower cerebellopontine angle. We experienced a rare case of abnormal running sigmoid sinus. Here, we must attend to the preoperative imaging studies such as MR images while surgical procedures are performed.

Key Words: Microvascular decompression (MVD), Hemifacial spasm (HFS), Sigmoid sinus.