Trigeminal neuralgia: association with tentorial meningioma and persistent primitive trigeminal artery.

A rare case of trigeminal neuralgia caused by tentorial meningioma associated with a persistent primitive trigeminal artery (PTA) is reported. This case involved a 59-year-old female patient with a more than 6 month history of left trigeminal neuralgia. A left cerebello-pontine angle (CP angle) meningioma was found associated with a right PTA connecting the proximal portion of the cavernous internal carotid artery with the basilar artery, supplying the bilateral superior cerebellar arteries. The tumor was totally removed via the suboccipital approach, which relieved the pain completely. Since the combination of a CP angle meningioma and a PTA is quite rare in patients with trigeminal neuralgia, we have presented this case here.