Anesthetic Implications and Challenges for Chronic Facial Pain

Authors

• Taylor Thomas, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine Medical Student
• Spencer Kitchen, Corewell Health East Resident
• Roy Soto, Corewell Health East

Document Type

Conference Proceeding

Publication Date

10-18-2026

Abstract

A 56-year-old woman with a three-year history of hemifacial pain and spasm presented for surgical decompression of cranial nerve VII after conservative management failed. The patient experienced persistent and painful facial contractions caused by vascular compression of cranial nerve VII, similar to the pathophysiology of trigeminal neuralgia. This case highlights differential diagnoses of hemifacial pain and spasm, perioperative pain control in conditions caused by nerve compression, cranial nerve VII anatomy, and anesthetic considerations of cases requiring neuromonitoring. We will discuss perioperative anesthetic considerations in patients with chronic facial pain and intraoperative management involving vascular decompression of cranial nerve VII.

Comments

American Society of Anesthesiologists, The Anesthesiology Meeting, October 16-20, 2026, San Diego, CA

Recommended Citation

Thomas T, Kitchen S, Soto R. Anesthetic implications and challenges for chronic facial pain. Presented at: American Society of Anesthesiologists, The Anesthesiology Meeting; 2026 Oct 18; San Diego, CA. Available from: https://www.abstractsonline.com/pp8/#!/21448/presentation/9228