[Cerebellar arteriovenous malformation presenting as trigeminal neuralgia]

Abstract

A 44-year-old female had been suffering from left facial pain for six years. On admission, intermittent facial pain, hypesthesia and paresthesia were recognized in the 2nd division of the left trigeminal nerve. CT scan revealed an enhanced curvilinear mass on the left cerebellar hemisphere. The left vertebral angiogram demonstrated cerebellar arteriovenous malformation fed by the duplicated superior cerebellar arteries and drained into the inferior petrosal vein. The feeding arteries and the draining vein compressed the trigeminal nerve at its nerve entry zone. Removal of the nidus combined with neurovascular decompression of the trigeminal nerve resulted in complete relief of any facial pain.