Microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia: the importance of a noncompressive technique--Kaplan-Meier analysis in a consecutive series of 330 patients.

Objective: Microvascular decompression, although a well-established procedure for treating primary trigeminal neuralgia, still has no standardized protocol. The practical consequences of having the implant keep the conflicting vessels apart, whether or not in contact with the root, is still in debate. The present work was undertaken to answer this question.