OBJECTIVE Many neurosurgical approaches require incision of the temporal muscle (TM). Consequently, patients often report reduced opening of the mouth, facial asymmetry, numbness, and pain after lateral craniotomies. A systematic assessment of these postoperative subjective complaints is lacking in the literature. Therefore, in this study, the authors evaluate subjective complaints after pterional, frontolateral-extended pterional, or temporal craniotomy using a 6-item questionnaire. They examine the association of these subjective complaints with the extent of the mobilization of the TM. METHODS The questionnaire assessed complaints about limited opening of the mouth, pain in the mastication muscles, facial asymmetry, sensory deficits in the temporal region, weather sensitivity, and headache. Eligible patients with benign intracranial processes operated on using lateral cranial approaches between 2016 and 2019 were included. The questionnaire was answered before surgery (baseline) and 3 and 15 months after surgery. Surgeons documented the extent of TM incision. RESULTS Among the 55 patients in this study, all complaints apart from headache showed an increase at a statistically significant rate at 3 months postoperatively, that is, limited mouth opening (p < 0.0001), pain in the mastication muscles (p < 0.0001), an impression of asymmetry in the mastication muscles (p = 0.0002), sensory disturbances in the temporal region (p < 0.0001), and weather sensitivity (p < 0.001). Only pain in the mastication muscles showed a relevant decrease at 15 months postsurgery (p = 0.058). The extent of the mobilized TM was associated with pain in the mastication muscles at 3 months (p = 0.0193). CONCLUSIONS Subjective complaints in patients following lateral craniotomy can be detected. As the extent of the mobilized TM relevantly influenced pain in the mastication muscles, the authors conclude that one should sparsely mobilize the TM. Furthermore, a neurosurgeon should be aware and warn the patient of subjective postoperative complaints and inform the patient about their natural course.

中文翻译：

---

评估翼点和颞部神经外科手术后的术后疼痛、感觉迟钝和天气敏感性。

目的 许多神经外科方法需要切开颞肌 (TM)。因此，患者经常报告侧方开颅手术后张口减少、面部不对称、麻木和疼痛。文献中缺乏对这些术后主观主诉的系统评估。因此，在本研究中，作者使用 6 项问卷调查评估翼点、额外侧扩展翼点或颞部开颅术后的主观主诉。他们研究了这些主观抱怨与 TM 动员程度的关联。方法 问卷评估了有关张口受限、咀嚼肌疼痛、面部不对称、颞区感觉缺陷、天气敏感性和头痛的投诉。纳入了 2016 年至 2019 年间采用侧颅入路手术的符合条件的良性颅内病变患者。在手术前（基线）以及手术后 3 个月和 15 个月回答问卷。外科医生记录了 TM 切口的范围。结果 在本研究的 55 名患者中，术后 3 个月，除头痛外，所有主诉均呈统计学显着性增加，即张口受限 (p < 0.0001)、咀嚼肌疼痛 (p < 0.0001)、咀嚼肌不对称的印象 (p = 0.0002)、颞区感觉障碍 (p < 0.0001) 和天气敏感性 (p < 0.001)。术后 15 个月时，只有咀嚼肌疼痛有所减轻 (p = 0.058)。动员 TM 的程度与 3 个月时咀嚼肌的疼痛相关（p = 0.0193）。结论 侧开颅手术后患者的主观主诉是可以检测到的。由于动员 TM 的程度与咀嚼肌疼痛相关，作者得出结论，应该稀疏地动员 TM。此外，神经外科医生应该了解并警告患者术后主观主诉，并告知患者其自然病程。