Objective:To explore the clinical effect and safety of modified microvascular decompression (MVD) on the recurrent trigeminal neuralgia.Methods:50 patients with recurrent trigeminal neuralgia from 2010 to 2015 in the Center of Cranial Nerve of Shanghai Jiaotong University (including Shanghai Tongren Hospital and Xinhua Hospital) were retrospectively analyzed,patients before 2012 were given regular MVD (MVD group,n=22),patients after 2012 were given improved MVD (modified MVD group,n=28).MVD group was given trigeminal nenre root decompression by traditional MVD,the method was described as follows:the skin,myofascial was cutted in turn along the first incision,the scar tissue on the edge of bone window was separated,and the bone window was appropriately expanded until the dura mater was fully exposed.Then dura mater was cutted open to sharply dissect the arachnoid,Meckel cavity was probed up to neurological brain regions (REZ),the trigeminal nerve segment was closely examined to separate the responsible blood vessels of oppressive nerve and the Teflon pad of cotton imbedding at the first operation.Modified MVD group was given detection of intracranial trigeminal nerve and its surrounding structures,dissection of brainstem extended segment of trigeminal neuralgia,and the compression of superior cerebellar artery to brainstem extended segment of trigeminal neuralgia was fended off.The postoperative remission rate,recurrence and complications between two groups were compared.Results:The postoperative remission rate in modified MVD group was 100.0％,which was significantly higher than that of the MVD group (P＜0.05).There was no statistical significance in the incidence of postoperative complications between two groups (P＞0.05).The recurrence rate at 1 year after surgery in modified MVD group was 0％,which was significantly lower than that of the MVD group (22.7％,P＜0.05).Conclusions:Decompression of trigeminal nenrerootcombined with brainstem extended segment of trigeminal neuralgia in MVD for recurrent trigeminal neuralgia could effectively relieve the pain,reduce the risk of postoperative recurrence,and wouldn't increase the postoperative complications.