Acoustic neuromas associated with sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Several studies have reported sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SHL) as an initial symptom of acoustic neuromas (ANs).

We aimed to retrospectively evaluate the incidence of SHL and the associated rates of post-treatment improvement in patients diagnosed with ANs.

We analysed the clinical data of 686 patients with ANs and examined tumour size, correlation with hearing loss, number of episodes of SHL, extent of auditory recovery, and associated audiogram patterns.

Among 686 enrolled patients with ANs, 232 (86 with intracanalicular and 146 with extrameatal tumours) experienced SHL at some point in their clinical history. The incidence of SHL was not significantly associated with tumour size. Of the 172 patients analysed, 119, 44, and 9 patients experienced one, two, or three or more episodes of SHL, respectively. Confirmed auditory recovery occurred in 61%, 45.3%, and 33.3% of the patients after the first, second, or third or later episodes of SHL, respectively. The audiograms of 78/172 (45.3%) patients showed a typical trough-shaped pattern of hearing loss at medium-level frequencies.

Among patients with ANs, 7.7% experienced two or more episodes of SHL. The recovery rate of SHL decreased with each successive occurrence.