CLINICAL-AND-FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENT OF THE EARLY POSTOPERATIVE OUTCOME OF SURGICAL TREATMENT OF PATIENTS WITH...

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Otolaryngology
• Neurology

Background:

• Vestibular schwannoma (VS) incidence has increased, with varied management approaches globally.
• There's a need for consensus on VS treatment strategies based on comprehensive outcome assessments.
• Surgical outcomes for VS require detailed analysis to optimize patient care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the early postoperative clinical and functional outcomes of surgical vestibular schwannoma treatment.
• To evaluate outcomes based on the disease stage using the Koos classification.
• To assess the efficacy of a proposed scale for functional outcome evaluation in VS patients.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 27 vestibular schwannoma patients treated between 2018-2019.
• Patients categorized into three groups based on Koos classification (II, III, IV).
• Preoperative and early postoperative clinical-instrumental otoneurological examinations and neurological status assessments were performed.

Main Results:

• Small tumors (Koos II) showed statistically significant worsening of hearing, tinnitus, facial nerve dysfunction, and taste disturbance post-surgery.
• Advanced tumors (Koos IV) presented preoperative deficits similar to postoperative deficits in Koos III, with increased facial nerve and cranial nerve dysfunction post-surgery.
• The proposed functional outcome scale demonstrated versatility in assessing patient status dynamically.

Conclusions:

• Surgical intervention for vestibular schwannoma, particularly in advanced stages, can lead to significant neurological deficits.
• Preservation of hearing in early stages necessitates cautious treatment strategy selection.
• The proposed functional outcome assessment scale is valuable for objective evaluation and can aid in improving treatment strategies and patient outcomes.