English: Nervo trigemino circondato e compresso da vasi sanguigni (conflitto neuro-vascolare). Foto ottenuta con microscopio operatorio ad elevato ingrandimento durante la fase iniziale di un intervento di microdecompressione vascolare per nevralgia del trigemino.

Trigeminal nerve folded and compressed by blood vessels (neuro-vascular conflict). This photo was obtained with surgical microscope at the early stage of a microvascular decompression operation for trigeminal neuralgia.

Trigeminal nerve, visualized with surgical microscope (14 x) during an operation of microvascular decompression (MVD). After accessing the skull base behind the ear and gentle retraction of the cerebellar hemisphere, the trigeminal nerve is visualized at its origin from the brainstem, in the deepest portion of the brain. The compression from vessels - named neuro-vascular conflict - causes trigeminal neuralgia that is an extremely painful and disabling syndrome. The operation consists of resolution of neuro-vascular conflict by mobilization of the offending vessels and leads to resolution of the pain syndrome.

English: Trigeminal nerve folded and compressed by blood vessels (neuro-vascular conflict). This photo was obtained with surgical microscope at the early stage of a microvascular decompression operation for trigeminal neuralgia.