Functional outcome and the effect of cranioplasty after retromastoid craniectomy for microvascular decompression

BACKGROUND While the efficacy of retromastoid craniectomy for microvascular decompression for hyperactive cranial nerve syndromes is well established, there is no real information regarding the functional outcome of these operations. The purpose of this retrospective questionnaire study is to assess functional outcome regarding presence and duration of postoperative headache, incisional pain, and the time to return to normal activity in patients undergoing retromastoid craniectomy for microvascular decompression. The effect of closure with bone chips or cranioplasty in the defect upon these functional outcomes was studied, as was the influence of the particular nerve that was the object of decompression. METHODS Four-hundred and ninety-five consecutive patients were contacted and 320 (65%) returned questionnaires with enough information to be suitable for analysis. RESULTS The incidence of postoperative headache was initially 60.1%, dropping to 28.8% at 1 month and 16.8% at 6 months. Incisional pain likewise declined with time, noted in 25.8% at 1 month and only 13.1% at 6 months. Use of a cranioplasty made no significant difference in influencing either postoperative headache or incisional pain, nor was the nature of the procedure a significant factor. CONCLUSION Twenty-five percent of patients resumed normal activity by 3 weeks, 50% by 1 month, and 90% by 3 months. Overall, 98% of patients responding reported returning to normal activity. Therefore, although there is an incidence of postoperative headache and incisional pain, these decrease with time and do not seem to interfere with the return to normal activity, nor are they affected by placement of a cranioplasty or the nature of the operation.