La neuralgia del trigemino es un sindrome clinico cuya causa frecuentemente involucra la compresion del nervio por estructuras vasculares adyacentes de conformacion anatomica normal, especialmente por la arteria cerebelosa superior. La dolicoectasia vertebro-basilar es otra potencial causa de neuralgia del trigemino, sin embargo, menos del 2% de los casos se encuentran relacionados con esta alteracion. Se presentan tres casos de neuralgia del trigemino como manifestacion inicial de dolicoectasia vertebrobasilar atendidos por miembros del Servicio de Neurocirugia de la Universidad de Cartagena. Rev.cienc.biomed.2011; 2 (2): 311-315 PALABRAS CLAVES Dolicoectasia. Aneurisma vertebro-basilar. Neuralgia del trigemino. SUMMARY Trigeminal neuralgia is a clinical syndrome whose cause often involves nerve compression by adjacent vascular structures of normal anatomic conformation, especially the superior cerebellar artery. Vertebro-basilar dolichoectasia is another potential cause of trigeminal neuralgia, however, less than 2% of the cases are related to this condition. There were three cases of trigeminal neuralgia as an initial manifestation of vertebralbasilar dolichoectasia attended by members of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Cartagena. Rev.cienc.biomed.2011; 2 (2): 311-315 KEYWORD Dolichoectasia. Vertebro-basilar aneurysms. Trigeminal neuralgia.