Microvascular Decompression in Trigeminal Neuralgia Increases Working Ability and Reduces Use of Healthcare Resources

Background: First-line therapy of trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is medication with carbamazepine. Only if this is insufficient or combined with nontolerable side effects, surgical therapy is considered. Microvascular decompression is the most effective method. Direct costs of MVD are high, but the procedure is believed to improve working ability and reduce the use of medical resources. This study aims to analyze MVD’s effects on TN patients regarding work capacity, healthcare utilization and health-related quality of life (hrQoL).

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of patients who underwent MVD for TN between 2007 and 2016 (n = 46). The patients’ outcome, work capacity and use of medical resources were assessed via the Barrow Neurological Institute Pain Intensity Score (BNI Score), with questions regarding patients’ employment status, restrictions in work capacity, healthcare utilization and completion of the Eq. 5D questionnaire.

Results: The response rate was 28/46 (61%). The majority of the participants (20/28) reported feeling strongly/quite handicapped in productivity due to TN preoperatively, which was also indicated by a few participants (3/28) postoperatively. Pain-related days off work were reduced postoperatively from 21.4 to 3.75 on average. Postoperative hrQoL did not differ from the general population. Further, reductions in healthcare utilization and private costs related to the pain syndrome were shown.

Conclusion: In TN, MVD alleviates patient burden, especially concerning productivity and the consumption of health resources.

No conflict of interest has been declared by the author(s).