Surgical management for glossopharyngeal neuralgia associated with cardiac syncope: two case reports

• Published in: British journal of neurosurgery Vol. 21; no. 6; pp. 599 - 602
• Main Authors: Esaki, T., Osada, H., Nakao, Y., Yamamoto, T., Maeda, M., Miyazaki, T., Sumiyoshi, M., Mori, K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Informa UK Ltd 01-12-2007; Taylor & Francis; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Aged, 80 and over; Cardiac Pacing, Artificial - methods; Cardiac syncope; Cerebral Arteries - surgery; Decompression, Surgical - methods; Disease management; Electrocardiography - methods; Female; Glossopharyngeal Nerve Diseases - complications; Glossopharyngeal Nerve Diseases - surgery; glossopharyngeal neuralgia; Heart rate; Heart surgery; Humans; Medical treatment; Microsurgery - methods; microvascular decompression; Middle Aged; Nerve Compression Syndromes - complications; Nerve Compression Syndromes - surgery; Neuralgia - complications; Neuralgia - surgery; Neurosurgical Procedures - methods; pacemaker; Pacemaker, Artificial; Syncope - complications; Syncope - surgery; Vagus Nerve Diseases - complications; Vagus Nerve Diseases - surgery; Veins & arteries
• ISSN: 0268-8697; 1360-046X
• DOI: 10.1080/02688690701627138

Two patients with glossopharyngeal neuralgia associated with cardiac syncope were treated with temporary cardiac pacemakers for cardiac syncope and then microvascular decompression. The offending arteries were the posterior inferior cerebellar artery in one patient and the anterior inferior cerebellar artery in the other. The offending arteries were attached to the glossopharyngeal nerve and the vagal nerve at the root entry zones. After surgery, the patients were free from neuralgia and cardiac syncope did not occur after the pacemakers were extracted. Implantation of a temporary cardiac pacemaker in the perioperative period ensures safe microvascular decompression.