There are many questions to ask your neurosurgeon before setting that important date. Some surgeons are far more qualified than others to do this very specialized operation. Remember that this is the person you are hiring to poke around in your skull. You should interview him/her with great care and scrutiny. It is your right and your obligation. A good surgeon will welcome your questions and most likely will answer them before you ask.
Starting Questions
Can you explain TN to me so I understand the physiology of my disease and this surgery? Do you believe I am a good candidate for MVD? What are the options besides surgery?
If you are not satisfied with the answers to the above, there’s no need to proceed. If you are, move on to…
More Specific Questions
– How many MVDs have you done? How many do you do in a year?
– When was the last one?
– What percentage of your surgeries are MVDs, as opposed to other neurosurgeries?
– What percentage of your MVDs are successful?
– Are any of your former patients willing to provide references?
– What do you see on my MRI? Do you believe that if you don’t see a compression there aren’t any?
– How long will I be in ICU?
– How long will I be in the hospital?
– How do you handle getting me off of my current pain meds?
– What do you do in the case that you don’t find any remarkable compressions?
– Do you comb or otherwise injure the nerve itself?
– If I have questions post surgery will I be speaking to you and if not, whom?
– How big will my incision be?
– How soon will I be up and walking?
– When can I wash my hair?
– Do you close with sutures or staples?
– When will sutures/staples be removed?
– What do you close the skull with?
– How long will my surgery take?
– Will you look at other cranial nerves or just my Trigeminal nerve?
– Will you monitor my other reflexes and hearing during surgery?
– How often will I see you for follow up appointments?
– How will you document the compressions? Do you take photos? (VERY important)
– How do you deal with arteries vs. veins?
– What kind of pain medicine will I use post surgery?
– How long will you provide pain meds for the recovery period?
– How would you define a successful MVD? (And similarly, YOU should know how you define a successful MVD from the perspective of the patient)
– What are the most common side effects associated with MVD?
– What are the risks particular to this surgery?
– What is the difference between TN pain, phantom or ghost pain, and healing pain?
– If this doesn’t work, will you keep me as a patient and explore other treatment options?
This checklist was originally compiled for and available at the MVD Patient Support group on Facebook.