Jannetta Procedure (Microvascular Decompression)

The Jannetta procedure, also known as microvascular decompression, is a surgery to move a blood vessel that’s pressing on a cranial (brain) nerve. This compression can cause debilitating facial pain or muscle twitches on one side of the face.

The Jannetta procedure, pioneered by Peter Jannetta, MD, is the only treatment that can cure trigeminal neuralgia, which causes extreme facial pain. Our team includes Kamal Kalia, MD, who trained directly with Dr. Jannetta. Dr. Kalia performs dozens of microvascular decompressions each year and has more than 35 years of experience. His expertise offers patients a level of experience that matches and even surpasses that of surgeons at the nation’s leading academic medical centers.

At Baystate Health, we understand how disruptive and frustrating facial pain and spasms can be. We want to help you reclaim your quality of life. Our goal is to help you find the right personalized treatment that brings relief.

Who Is a Candidate for the Jannetta Procedure?

The Jannetta procedure may be right for you if you have a blood vessel pressing on one of the nerves exiting your brain. This nerve compression can lead to conditions such as:

• Hemifacial spasm: You have frequent, uncontrollable muscle twitches on one side of your face. These twitches often worsen over time and affect more of your facial muscles.
• Trigeminal neuralgia: You have extreme, shock-like pain that comes and goes on one side of your face. Trigeminal neuralgia is known as one of the most painful conditions known to medicine.

Benefits of Microvascular Decompression With the Jannetta Procedure

The Jannetta procedure is often considered the gold standard treatment for trigeminal neuralgia. That’s because it’s the only trigeminal neuralgia surgery that treats the cause of facial pain instead of just the symptoms.

Research shows that about 80% of people who get the Jannetta procedure for trigeminal neuralgia are cured after surgery. Another 10% of people aren’t fully cured, but have fewer symptoms than before treatment.

What to Expect During the Jannetta Procedure

Before microvascular decompression surgery, you get a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan. This imaging test confirms if blood vessel compression is causing your symptoms.

Our neurosurgeons perform the Jannetta procedure in the operating room. On the day of the surgery, you receive general anesthesia to remain asleep and comfortable. During the procedure, your neurosurgeon will:

1. Make a small incision behind your ear, about 1.5 inches long.
2. Create a tiny window in your bone about the size of the thumb knuckle.
3. Use a special operating microscope to access the compressed nerve.
4. Gently move the blood vessel away from the nerve.
5. Place a Teflon™ sponge (soft padding) to keep the nerve and blood vessels separated.

The procedure takes about 90 minutes. Thanks to our neurosurgeon’s skill and expertise, this length of surgery is quicker than national averages.

Recovery From Microvascular Decompression With the Jannetta Procedure

After microvascular decompression surgery, you stay overnight in the hospital so the care team can monitor you. Most people go home after two nights, which is shorter than the national average.

Once you’re home, you can walk around and get back to many of your usual activities. Your neurosurgeon will tell you how long you should wait before resuming more strenuous activities. For most people, it’s about four to six weeks after surgery.

People with trigeminal neuralgia experience immediate relief after microvascular decompression. You may have some soreness at the incision site as you heal, but you shouldn’t have any facial pain. If you received the Jannetta procedure for hemifacial spasm, it can take up to 18 months for your symptoms to go away completely.