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Headaches After Acoustic Neuroma Surgery
Rimaaja T, Haanpaa M, Blomstedt G, Farkkila M.
Posted: May 2008  
Cephalalgia  2007;27:1128-1135

Headache and depression were studied in patients who had undergone operation for acoustic neuroma. A questionnaire with headache and Beck Depression Inventory scale were sent to 228 patients, of whom 192 responded. Preoperative headache was reported by 61 of the respondents (47 migraine and 9 tension-type headache) and 122 respondents had postoperative headache (15 new migraine and four new tension-type headache). The new postoperative headache was chronic (3 months) in 86% and continued at the time of the survey in 55% and presented typically as severe short-lasting attacks provoked by physical stress, bending or coughing. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were effective in most cases. Depression (usually mild) occurred in 24% of the respondents, being significantly more common in prolonged postoperative headache patients. The operation doubled the prevalence of headache (from 32% to 64%). Headache after acoustic neuroma operation appears to be a specific subgroup of postcraniotomy headache.