scholarly journals Our Management of Vestibular Schwannomas and Review of Literatures

2022 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 141-148
Author(s):  
Neizekhotuo Brian Shunyu

There is no a clear consensus provided in the literature and there remain controversial on the treatment especially for small to medium size Vestibular schwannomas (VSs). Thus the treatment technique and approach preference vary from centre to centre. This problem too exists in our centre. The purpose of this paper is to develop a consensus in our hospital among our colleagues on the treatment of our VSs patients. We have been treating VSs patient by translabyrinthine approach from time to time for the last 5 years and found it to be a very efficient approach. This approach gives the most direct route to the tumor with excellent exposure of the internal acoustic meatus, cerebropontine angle (CPA) area without the need to retract the brain with facial nerve totally in control early in the surgery. The only problem was, when there is large posterior fossa component of the tumor present. This approach is safe with direct exposure to CPA area and have minimum intraoperative or postoperative complications.

Author(s):  
Daniela Stastna ◽  
Richard Mannion ◽  
Patrick Axon ◽  
David Andrew Moffat ◽  
Neil Donnelly ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective Cystic vestibular schwannomas (VS) in contrast to solid VS tend to have accelerated growth, larger volume, rapid/atypical presentation, lobulated/adherent surface, and unpredictable course of the cranial nerves. Cystic VS are surgically challenging, with worse clinical outcomes and higher rate of subtotal resection (STR). Methods We retrospectively analyzed postoperative outcomes of 125 patients with cystic VS, operated between years 2005 and 2019 in our center. We confronted the extent of the resection and House-Brackmann (HB) grade of facial palsy with the results of comparable cohort of patients with solid VS operated in our center and literature review by Thakur et al.1 Results Translabyrinthine approach was preferred for resection of large, cystic VS (97.6%). Gross-total resection (GTR) was achieved in 78 patients (62.4%), near-total resection (NTR) with remnant (<4 × 4 × 2 mm) in 43 patients (34.4%), and STR in 4 patients (3.2%). NTR/STR were significantly associated with higher age, tumor volume >5 cm3, retrosigmoid approach, high-riding jugular bulb, tumor adherence to the brain stem, and facial nerve (p = 0.016; 0.003; 0.005; 0.025; 0.001; and <0.00001, respectively).One year after the surgery, 76% of patients had HB grades 1 to 2, 16% had HB grades 3 to 4, and 8% had HB grades 5 to 6 palsy. Worse outcome (HB grades 3 to 6) was associated with preoperative facial palsy, tumor volume >25 cm3, and cyst over the brain stem (p = 0.045; 0.014; and 0.05, respectively). Comparable solid VS operated in our center had significantly higher HB grades 1 to 2 rate than our cystic VS (94% versus 76%; p = 0.03). Comparing our results with literature review, our HB grades 1 to 2 rate was significantly higher (76% versus 39%; p = 0.0001). Tumor control rate 5 years after surgery was 95.8%. Conclusion Our study confirmed that microsurgery of cystic VS has worse outcomes of facial nerve preservation and extent of resection compared with solid VS. Greater attention should be paid to the above-mentioned risk factors.


Author(s):  
Marco Cenzato ◽  
Roberto Stefini ◽  
Francesco Zenga ◽  
Maurizio Piparo ◽  
Alberto Debernardi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Cerebellopontine angle (CPA) surgery carries the risk of lesioning the facial nerve. The goal of preserving the integrity of the facial nerve is usually pursued with intermittent electrical stimulation using a handheld probe that is alternated with the resection. We report our experience with continuous electrical stimulation delivered via the ultrasonic aspirator (UA) used for the resection of a series of vestibular schwannomas. Methods A total of 17 patients with vestibular schwannomas, operated on between 2010 and 2018, were included in this study. A constant-current stimulator was coupled to the UA used for the resection, delivering square-wave pulses throughout the resection. The muscle responses from upper and lower face muscles triggered by the electrical stimulation were displayed continuously on multichannel neurophysiologic equipment. The careful titration of the electrical stimulation delivered through the UA while tapering the current intensity with the progression of the resection was used as the main strategy. Results All operations were performed successfully, and facial nerve conduction was maintained in all patients except one, in whom a permanent lesion of the facial nerve followed a miscommunication to the neurosurgeon. Conclusion The coupling of the electrical stimulation to the UA provided the neurosurgeon with an efficient and cost-effective tool and allowed a safe resection. Positive responses were obtained from the facial muscles with low current intensity (lowest intensity: 0.1 mA). The availability of a resection tool paired with a stimulator allowed the surgeon to improve the surgical workflow because fewer interruptions were necessary to stimulate the facial nerve via a handheld probe.


2004 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 206-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerald Wendelin ◽  
Erwin Kitzmüller ◽  
Ulrike Salzer-Muhar

The acronym PHACES summarizes the most important manifestations of a rare neurocutaneous syndrome. Specifically, “P” accounts for malformation of the brain in the region of the posterior fossa, “H” stands for haemangiomas, “A” is for arterial anomalies, and “C” is for coarctation of the aorta along with cardiac defects, “E” is for abnormalities of the eye, and “S” for clefting of the sternum, and/or a supraumbilical abdominal raphe. Our objective is to introduce the syndrome to paediatric cardiologists. Our patient has stenosis of the aortic arch, multiple malformations of the great vessels arising from the aortic arch, intracranial vascular abnormalities, a sternal malformation with a supraumbilical raphe, and facial haemangiomas. We stress that it is important always to consider the existence of this syndrome in all patients with facial haemangiomas.


1977 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroshi Matsumura ◽  
Yasumasa Makita ◽  
Kuniyuki Someda ◽  
Akinori Kondo

✓ We have operated on 12 of 14 cases of arteriovenous malformation (AVM) in the posterior fossa since 1968, with one death. The lesions were in the cerebellum in 10 cases (three anteromedial, one central, three lateral, and three posteromedial), and in the cerebellopontine angle in two; in two cases the lesions were directly related to the brain stem. The AVM's in the anterior part of the cerebellum were operated on through a transtentorial occipital approach.


Neurosurgery ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 57 (2) ◽  
pp. E371-E371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mustafa Efkan Colpan ◽  
Zeki Sekerci

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: We report on a patient with a Chiari I malformation presenting with right hemifacial spasm. Clinicians should consider the downward displacement of the hindbrain as a rare cause of hemifacial spasm in Chiari I malformation. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: An 18-year-old man was admitted with right hemifacial spasm. The results of the neurological examination were normal except for the facial spasm. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a Chiari I malformation without syringomyelia. After surgery, the hemifacial spasm completely resolved. INTERVENTION: Posterior fossa decompression, C1 laminectomy, and duraplasty were performed. CONCLUSION: The hemifacial spasm could be attributed to compression and/or traction of the facial nerve because of downward displacement of the hindbrain in Chiari I malformation. Compression and/or traction might create irritation of the facial nerve that causes hemifacial spasm. Resolution of the hemifacial spasm after posterior fossa decompression could explain the facial nerve irritation in Chiari I malformation. Clinicians should consider Chiari malformation as a cause of hemifacial spasm and posterior fossa decompression as a potential treatment.


Author(s):  
Nicolas Bovo ◽  
Shahan Momjian ◽  
Renato Gondar ◽  
Philippe Bijlenga ◽  
Karl Schaller ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective The objective of this study was to determine the performance of the standard alarm criterion of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) of the facial nerve in surgeries performed for resections of vestibular schwannomas or of other lesions of the cerebellopontine angle. Methods This retrospective study included 33 patients (16 with vestibular schwannomas and 17 with other lesions) who underwent the resection surgery with transcranial MEPs of the facial nerve. A reproducible 50% decrease in MEP amplitude, resistant to a 10% increase in stimulation intensity, was applied as the alarm criterion during surgery. Facial muscular function was clinically evaluated with the House–Brackmann score (HBS), pre- and postsurgery at 3 months. Results In the patient group with vestibular schwannoma, postoperatively, the highest sensitivity and negative predictive values were found for a 30% decrease in MEP amplitude, that is, a criterion stricter than the 50% decrease in MEP amplitude criterion, prone to trigger more warnings, used intraoperatively. With this new criterion, the sensitivity would be 88.9% and the negative predictive value would be 85.7%. In the patient group with other lesions of the cerebellopontine angle, the highest sensitivity and negative predictive values were found equally for 50, 60, or 70% decrease in MEP amplitude. With these criteria, the sensitivities and the negative predictive values would be 100.0%. Conclusion Different alarm criteria were found for surgeries for vestibular schwannomas and for other lesions of the cerebellopontine angle. The study consolidates the stricter alarm criterion, that is, a criterion prone to trigger early warnings, as found previously by others for vestibular schwannoma surgeries (30% decrease in MEP amplitude).


1995 ◽  
Vol 269 (4) ◽  
pp. F564-F570 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Blau ◽  
L. Daly ◽  
A. Fienberg ◽  
G. Teitelman ◽  
M. E. Ehrlich

DARPP-32, a dopamine- and adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-regulated inhibitor of protein phosphatase-1, is highly colocalized with neuronal and nonneuronal D1-type receptors. DARPP-32 concentration is enriched in the renal outer medulla and in the medium-size spiny neurons of the brain. In the ascending limb of the loop of Henle, DARPP-32 is phosphorylated following stimulation by dopamine and other first messengers, and in this form inhibits the activity of the Na(+)-K(+)-adenosinetriphosphatase pump. For functional analysis of the DARPP-32 promoter in the kidney, we characterized the murine gene. There are two groups of transcription start sites utilized in the brain, but the proximal set appears to be preferentially used in the kidney. In four of four lines of mice carrying a DARPP-32/lacZ transgene with 2.1 kb of 5'-flanking DNA, adult kidney lacZ transgene expression mimicked that of endogenous DARPP-32. There was no ectopic expression in peripheral organs. We conclude that the sequences necessary for direction of DARPP-32 expression to the medullary thick ascending limb are contained within this 2.1-kb fragment.


2018 ◽  
Vol 37 (04) ◽  
pp. 352-361
Author(s):  
Forhad Chowdhury ◽  
Mohammod Haque ◽  
Jalal Rumi ◽  
Monir Reza

Objective In cases of hemifacial spasm caused by a tortuous vertebrobasilar artery (TVBA), the traditional treatment technique involves Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene), which can be ineffective and fraught with recurrence and neurological complications. In such cases, there are various techniques of arteriopexy using adhesive compositions, ‘suspending loops’ made of synthetic materials, dural or fascial flaps, surgical sutures passed around or through the vascular adventitia, as well as fenestrated aneurysmal clips. In the present paper, we describe a new technique of slinging the vertebral artery (VA) to the petrous dura for microvascular decompression (MVD) in a patient with hemifacial spasm caused by a TVBA. Method A 50-year-old taxi driver presented with a left-sided severe hemifacial spasm. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan of the brain showed a large tortuous left-sided vertebral artery impinging and compressing the exit/entry zone of the 7th and 8th nerve complex. After a craniotomy, a TVBA was found impinging and compressing the entry zone of the 7th and 8th nerve complex. Arachnoid bands attaching the artery to the nerve complex and the pons were released by sharp microdissection. Through the upper part of the incision, a 2.5 × 1 cm temporal fascia free flap was harvested. After the fixation of the free flap, a 6–0 prolene suture was passed through its length several times using the traditional Bengali sewing and stitching techniques to make embroidered quilts called Nakshi katha. The ‘prolenated’ fascia was passed around the compressing portion of the VA. Both ends of the fascia were brought together and stitched to the posterior petrous dura to keep the TVBA away from the 7th and 8th nerves and the pons. Result The patient had no hemifacial spasm immediately after the recovery from the anesthesia. A postoperative MRI of the brain showed that the VA was away from the entry zone of the 7th and 8th nerves. Conclusion The ‘prolenated’ temporal fascia slinging technique may be a very good option of MVD in cases in which the causative vessel is a TVBA.


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