Twelve cases of jugular foramen neurinoma

Twelve patients with jugular foramen neurinoma were operated on at our clinic between 1974 and 1990. The initial signs and symptoms were variable; dysfunctions of the 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and 11th nerves were frequently observed. Among these, involvement of the eighth nerve was most frequent, and three patients were given a misdiagnosis of acoustic neurinoma. Computed tomography scan and magnetic resonance imaging were useful not only for the correct diagnosis, but also for planning the surgical treatment and postoperative followup. Surgical resection was accomplished with four different approaches: (1) suboccipital approach without opening the jugular foramen, (2) suboccipital approach with opening the jugular foramen, (3) suboccipital approach with opening the jugular foramen combined with infralabyrinthine approach, (4) infralabyrinthine approach. The surgical approach depended on the presence of intracranial tumor and on the extent of extracranial involvement. There was no operative mortality. Dysfunction of the 8th, 9th, 10th, or 11th nerve did not improve in any patient after tumor removal. In contrast, 12th nerve palsy improved in two of three patients after tumor removal. The nerve of origin was identified in five cases; those were from the ninth nerve in three and from the 11th nerve in two.