scholarly journals Microsurgical and Endoscope Assisted Resection of a Right Intracanalicular Vestibular Schwannoma Two-Dimensional Operative Video

2019 ◽  
Vol 80 (S 03) ◽  
pp. S288-S289
Author(s):  
Chun-Yu Cheng ◽  
Zeeshan Qazi ◽  
Laligam N. Sekhar

A 36-year-old lady presented with tinnitus and hearing loss for 1 year which was progressively worsening. A hearing test revealed pure tone average (PTA) between 48 to 65 dB and speech discrimination of 56% at 95 dB. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a right vestibular schwannoma 5 × 8 mm (Fig. 1) which extended far laterally to the fundus of internal auditory canal (IAC). A translabyrinthine approach was suggested by another neurosurgeon/neurotologist team, but the patient decided to undergo operation by retrosigmoid approach with attempted hearing preservation.She underwent a right retrosigmoid craniotomy, craniectomy, and mastoidectomy with far lateral approach. We performed petrous transcanalicular microsurgical approach with the assistance of neuroendoscope. Intraoperatively, the internal auditory artery was looping into the IAC between cranial nerves VII and VIII, and coming out inferiorly. The IAC was opened by the diamond drill, ultrasonic bone curette, and fine rongeurs. The tumor was grayish in color with filling the lateral aspect of the IAC. After circumferential dissection of the tumor capsule, the tumor was removed completely. It was arising from the inferior vestibular nerve which was stretched. The patient had vertigo and nausea postoperatively but it is steadily improving. Her hearing test has improved to a PTA of 22 dB and speech discrimination of 100% at 70 dB at 6 weeks. The postoperative MRI showed total resection.This two-dimensional video shows the technical nuances of microsurgical retrosigmoid approach and endoscopic assisted resection of an intracanalicular vestibular schwannoma and the value of attempting hearing preservation in all vestibular schwannomas (Fig. 2).The link to the video can be found at: https://youtu.be/KHrO_iDI2tw.

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Mazzoni ◽  
Elisabetta Zanoletti ◽  
Luca Denaro ◽  
Alessandro Martini ◽  
Domenico d’ Avella

Abstract BACKGROUND Vestibular schwannoma extending to the fundus of the internal auditory canal is currently considered an unfavorable condition for hearing preservation surgery via a retrosigmoid approach because the lateral end of the canal is hard to view directly during microsurgery. OBJECTIVE To present an improved retrolabyrinthine meatotomy (RLM) technique that enables the full length of the cochlear and facial nerves to be inspected up to their orifices on the fundus. Long-term results are briefly reported. METHODS A consecutive series of 100 cases with various degrees of fundus involvement underwent surgery via a retrosigmoid approach and RLM. The follow-up ranged from 4 to 14 yr. Outcomes on hearing and facial nerve function were recorded, and preoperative MRI findings of the tumor on the fundus were correlated with the surgical findings and the long-term radicality of the tumor resection. RESULTS Residual tumor on the fundus was identified in 3 cases, all belonging to the group with tumors adhering to the fundus. The functional results were in line with the best reported outcomes of this surgery. CONCLUSION RLM via a retrosigmoid approach seemed adequate for the purposes of hearing preservation surgery and enabled the full course of the facial and cochlear nerves through the internal auditory canal to be exposed to direct view. Tumors adhering to the vestibular quadrant of the fundus were more difficult to remove, and there were a few cases of local residual tumor.


2018 ◽  
Vol 127 (8) ◽  
pp. 563-567 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth Akakpo ◽  
William J. Riggs ◽  
Michael S. Harris ◽  
Edward E Dodson

Objectives: To describe a case of inadvertent hearing preservation following a classical translabyrinthine resection of a vestibular schwannoma of the internal auditory canal in an otherwise healthy patient. Methods: Herein, we describe the case of an otherwise healthy patient who underwent resection of an intracanalicular vestibular schwannoma via a translabyrinthine approach. Furthermore, as part of an ongoing study aimed at characterizing hearing changes due to intraoperative events, cochlear hair cell and nerve activity were monitored using electrocochleography throughout surgery. Unexpectedly, the patient maintained serviceable hearing following surgery. As a result, we are able to provide electrophysiologic evidence of cochlear hair cell activity at various stages of this surgery. Results: Hair cell responses across tested frequencies were detectable prior to and following completion of the translabyrinthine procedure. Neural integrity of the auditory division of cranial nerve VIII was maintained throughout. Lastly, postoperative audiometric testing supported the patient’s subjective assertion of serviceable hearing in the surgical ear. Conclusion: Our results suggest that some degree of hair cell and neural integrity can be maintained throughout the course of the translabyrinthine approach, and if preservation of the auditory division of cranial nerve VIII is feasible, a functional amount of hearing preservation is attainable.


2013 ◽  
Vol 118 (3) ◽  
pp. 571-578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Baschnagel ◽  
Peter Y. Chen ◽  
Dennis Bojrab ◽  
Daniel Pieper ◽  
Jack Kartush ◽  
...  

Object Hearing loss after Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) in patients with vestibular schwannoma has been associated with radiation dose to the cochlea. The purpose of this study was to evaluate serviceable hearing preservation in patients with VS who were treated with GKS and to determine if serviceable hearing loss can be correlated with the dose to the cochlea. Methods Forty patients with vestibular schwannoma with serviceable hearing were treated using GKS with a median marginal dose of 12.5 Gy (range 12.5–13 Gy) to the 50% isodose volume. Audiometry was performed prospectively before and after GKS at 1, 3, and 6 months, and then every 6 months thereafter. Hearing preservation was based on pure tone average (PTA) and speech discrimination (SD). Serviceable hearing was defined as PTA less than 50 dB and SD greater than 50%. Results The median cochlear maximum and mean doses were 6.9 Gy (range 1.6–16 Gy) and 2.7 Gy (range 0.7–5.0 Gy), respectively. With a median audiological follow-up of 35 months (range 6–58 months), the 1-, 2-, and 3-year actuarial rates of maintaining serviceable hearing were 93%, 77%, and 74%, respectively. No patient who received a mean cochlear dose less than 2 Gy experienced serviceable hearing loss (p = 0.035). Patients who received a mean cochlear dose less than 3 Gy had a 2-year hearing preservation rate of 91% compared with 59% in those who received a mean cochlear dose of 3 Gy or greater (p = 0.029). Those who had more than 25% of their cochlea receiving 3 Gy or greater had a higher rate of hearing loss (p = 0.030). There was no statistically significant correlation between serviceable hearing loss and age, tumor size, pre-GKS PTA, pre-GKS SD, pre-GKS Gardner-Robertson class, maximum cochlear dose, or the percentage of cochlear volume receiving 5 Gy. On multivariate analysis there was a trend toward significance for serviceable hearing loss with a mean cochlear dose of 3 Gy or greater (p = 0.074). Local control was 100% at 24 months. No patient developed facial or trigeminal nerve dysfunction. Conclusions With a median mean cochlear dose of 2.7 Gy, the majority of patients with serviceable hearing retained serviceable hearing 3 years after GKS. A mean cochlear dose less than 3 Gy was associated with higher serviceable hearing preservation.


1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 168-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles H. Tator ◽  
Julian M. Nedzelski

✓ Microsurgical techniques have made it possible to identify and preserve the cochlear nerve from its origin at the brain stem and along its course through the internal auditory canal in patients undergoing removal of small or medium-sized acoustic neuromas or other cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumors. In a consecutive series of 100 patients with such tumors operated on between 1975 and 1981, an attempt was made to preserve the cochlear nerve in 23. The decision to attempt to preserve hearing was based on tumor size and the degree of associated hearing loss. In cases of unilateral acoustic neuroma, the criteria for attempted preservation of hearing were tumor size (2.5 cm or less), speech reception threshold (50 dB or less), and speech discrimination score (60% or greater). In patients with bilateral acoustic neuromas or tumors of other types, the size and hearing criteria were significantly broadened. All patients were operated on through a suboccipital approach. Hearing was preserved postoperatively in six (31.6%) of the 19 patients with unilateral acoustic neuromas, although the cochlear nerve was preserved in 16. Of the six patients with postoperative hearing, three retained excellent hearing, and the other three had only sound awareness and poor discrimination. Hearing was preserved in three cases with other CPA tumors, including an epidermoid cyst and small petrous meningiomas in the internal auditory canal. Of the two cases with bilateral tumors, hearing was preserved in one. Of the 23 patients in whom hearing preservation was attempted, nine (39.1%) had some postoperative hearing, which in six was equal to or better than the preoperative level. Thus, it is worthwhile to attempt hearing preservation in selected patients with CPA tumors.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 74 (5) ◽  
pp. 466-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey T. Jacob ◽  
Matthew L. Carlson ◽  
Terry K. Schiefer ◽  
Bruce E. Pollock ◽  
Colin L. Driscoll ◽  
...  

Abstract BACKGROUND: Cochlear dose has been identified as a potentially modifiable contributor to hearing loss after stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for vestibular schwannoma (VS). OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between computed tomography-based volumetric cochlear dose and loss of serviceable hearing after SRS, to assess intraobserver and interobserver reliability when determining modiolar point dose with the use of magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography, and to discuss the clinical significance of the cochlear dose with regard to radiosurgical planning strategy. METHODS: Patients with serviceable pretreatment hearing who underwent SRS for sporadic VS between the use of Gamma Knife Perfexion were studied. Univariate and multivariate associations with the primary outcome of time to nonserviceable hearing were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 105 patients underwent SRS for VS during the study period, and 59 (56%) met study criteria and were analyzed. Twenty-one subjects (36%) developed nonserviceable hearing at a mean of 2.2 years after SRS (SD, 1.0 years; median, 2.1 years; range 0.6-3.8 years). On univariate analysis, pretreatment pure tone average, speech discrimination score, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery hearing class, marginal dose, and mean dose to the cochlear volume were statistically significantly associated with time to nonserviceable hearing. However, after adjustment for baseline differences, only pretreatment pure tone average was statistically significantly associated with time to nonserviceable hearing in a multivariable model. CONCLUSION: Cochlear dose is one of many variables associated with hearing preservation after SRS for VS. Until further studies demonstrate durable tumor arrest with reduced dose protocols, routine tumor dose planning should not be modified to limit cochlear dose at the expense of tumor control.


2007 ◽  
Vol 121 (8) ◽  
pp. 736-741 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Magliulo ◽  
A Stasolla ◽  
D Parrotto ◽  
M Marini

AbstractAim:To establish if the computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearances of the vestibule, after the removal of vestibular schwannoma by a modified translabyrinthine approach, correlate with a successful outcome, defined as hearing preservation.Materials and methods:Our study group consisted of 16 patients with vestibular schwannoma. All patients' pre-operative hearing was graded as class one or two according to the Gardner–Robertson scale. On MRI scans, the schwannoma, including the intracanalicular segment, were less than 2 cm in size in all the patients. The intracanalicular portion involved the fundus of the internal auditory canal in seven patients. In the remaining nine patients, the schwannoma had spread to involve two-thirds of the meatus, sparing its lateral third. The state of the labyrinth, in particular the integrity of the vestibule, was evaluated by CT scans and MRI prior to and following surgery.Results:The schwannoma was completely removed in all patients. None showed any signs of persistence or tumoral relapse on the post-operative MRI. The final follow up showed that seven patients had maintained their hearing function (i.e. four patients with class one hearing and three with class two). The MRI vestibular signal on the T2-weighted images was well depicted only in patients with hearing preservation. Bony vestibular integrity was observed in the CT scans of all cases with hearing preservation, and also in three cases with failure of hearing preservation.Conclusion:Our results confirm that total isolation and maintenance of an anatomically intact vestibule, as depicted by MRI examination, is one of the fundamental factors for successful preservation of hearing function following modified translabyrinthine approach schwannoma removal.


2016 ◽  
Vol 125 (5) ◽  
pp. 1277-1282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Scheller ◽  
Andreas Wienke ◽  
Marcos Tatagiba ◽  
Alireza Gharabaghi ◽  
Kristofer F. Ramina ◽  
...  

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this research was to examine the stability of long-term hearing preservation and the regeneration capacity of the cochlear nerve following vestibular schwannoma (VS) surgery in a prospective study. METHODS A total of 112 patients were recruited for a randomized multicenter trial between January 2010 and April 2012 to investigate the efficacy of prophylactic nimodipine treatment versus no prophylactic nimodipine treatment in VS surgery. For the present investigation, both groups were pooled to compare hearing abilities in the early postoperative course and 1 year after the surgery. Hearing was examined using pure-tone audiometry with speech discrimination, which was performed preoperatively, in the early postoperative course, and 12 months after surgery and was subsequently classified by an independent otorhinolaryngologist using the Gardner-Robertson classification system. RESULTS Hearing abilities at 2 time points were compared by evaluation in the early postoperative course and 1 year after surgery in 102 patients. The chi-square test showed a very strong association between the 2 measurements in all 102 patients (p < 0.001) and in the subgroup of 66 patients with a preserved cochlear nerve (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS There is no significant change in cochlear nerve function between the early postoperative course and 1 year after VS surgery. The result of hearing performance, as evaluated by early postoperative audiometry after VS surgery, seems to be a reliable prognosticator for future hearing ability. Clinical trial registration nos.: 2009-012088-32 (clinicaltrialsregister.eu) and DRKS 00000328 (“AkNiPro,” drks-neu.uniklinik-freiburg.de/drks_web/)


2003 ◽  
Vol 128 (3) ◽  
pp. 387-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernhard Schaller ◽  
Ariane Baumann

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to study the occurrence and source of origin of postcraniotomy headache syndrome after removal of vestibular schwannoma via the retrosigmoid approach. METHODS: A retrospective chart analysis was conducted of all patients with headache at 3 months after removal of vestibular schwannoma from January 1981 through March 1997 and with a minimum of 24 months of follow-up. Diagnosis was made according to the headache classification and was graded using the HARNER scale. Recovery outcome was compared in selected groups of patients with and without headache. A descriptive statistical analysis was used to analyze differences between groups. RESULTS: Of the patients who underwent retrosigmoid craniotomy for removal of vestibular schwannomas, 52 of 155 patients (34%) reported having severe headache of requiring medication every day and/or feeling incapacitated 3 months after surgery. Headache was more prevalent in those who had the bone flap replaced (94% versus 27%), if there was duraplastic or direct dura closure (0% versus 100%). Laboratory-proven aseptic meningitis, most likely due to the use of fibrin glue and drilling of posterior aspect of the internal auditory canal, was mainly associated with postoperative headache (81% versus 2%). In 75% of these cases, calcifications along the brainstem had been noted. CONCLUSION: The origin of postoperative headaches after retrosigmoid vestibular schwannoma resections is not yet fully understood. Different factors may play a role in preventing or reducing headache: dural adhesions to nuchal muscles or to subcutaneous tissues and dural tension in the case of direct dural closure may explain postoperative headache from dural tension. Intradural drilling and the use of fibrin glue may be the source of aseptic meningitis as the etiology of persistent postoperative headache. Prevention of postoperative headache may include the replacement of bone flap at the end of surgery, duraplastic instead of direct dural closure, and prevention of the use of fibrin glue or extensive drilling of the posterior aspect of internal auditory canal.


Cureus ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dillon Dejam ◽  
Kevin Ding ◽  
Courtney Duong ◽  
Vera Ong ◽  
Isaac Yang

2019 ◽  
Vol 80 (S 03) ◽  
pp. S284-S284
Author(s):  
Michael J. Link ◽  
Colin L. W. Driscoll ◽  
Yening Feng ◽  
Maria Peris-Celda ◽  
Christopher S. Graffeo

Objectives This video was aimed to describe the relevant anatomy and key surgical steps of retrosigmoid approach for gross total resection of a medium-sized vestibular schwannoma (VS). Design The procedure is described in a surgical instructional video. Setting The surgery took place at a tertiary skull base referral center. Participant Patient is a 63-year-old woman who reported with nonserviceable hearing (Pure Tone Average 60 dB Hearing level, Word Recognition Score 45%), occasional tinnitus, and a VS in the left cerebellopontine angle (CPA), extending into internal auditory canal (IAC), measuring 1.7 cm parallel to the petrous temporal bone. Main Outcome Measures The VS was resected by retrosigmoid approach. Results The surgery results gross total resection of the VS with postoperative House–Brackmann grade 1 facial nerve function and no postoperative complications. Conclusion The retrosigmoid approach is a good strategy to remove VS involving the CPA and the IAC.The link to the video can be found at: https://youtu.be/B6K_UkrKitg.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document