A major review combined data from many studies to look at a surgery called microvascular decompression, or MVD, for people who have both trigeminal neuralgia and multiple sclerosis. The surgery aims to relieve severe facial pain by moving a blood vessel pressing on a nerve. The review looked at 429 patients who had this surgery and found that about 30 percent were completely pain-free at their last check-up.
This success rate is lower than what is often seen for patients with trigeminal neuralgia alone. The main side effect reported was temporary facial numbness, and no serious problems were noted in the studies reviewed. The results show that while MVD can help some people with both conditions, it is not a guaranteed cure.
The authors note that more research is needed to figure out which patients are most likely to benefit from this surgery. They also suggest that doctors should not automatically rule out MVD as an option for these patients. The findings help guide treatment choices for a challenging condition.