This surgery takes pressure away from the trigeminal nerve. That's a large nerve that branches out to different parts of your face. We do this surgery to relieve the pain and muscle spasms of trigeminal neuralgia.
To begin, you're put to sleep and your head is secured. We make an incision behind your ear. Then, we make a small opening in your skull.
Now, we move aside tissues so we can see your trigeminal nerve. Your nerve is being compressed by an artery or a vein. When blood moves through this vessel, it irritates your nerve. We fix this by separating the nerve from the vessel. We put a tiny sponge between them. This cushions your nerve. It keeps it from touching the blood vessel.
Finally, we close the skull and the incision. After the surgery, you're monitored in a recovery room. You'll stay in the hospital until it's safe for you to go home. Follow your surgeon's instructions as you heal.