Cystic recurrence of vestibular schwannoma post-radiosurgery: an institutional experience

Stereotactic radiosurgery effectively controls vestibular schwannoma (VS). However, in certain cases, microsurgical resection may be necessary for post-radiosurgery tumour progression. The characteristics and microsurgical challenges of uncommon cystic recurrences post-radiosurgery are rarely addressed.

We retrospectively analysed 24 consecutive patients who underwent microsurgical intervention for recurrent VS post-radiosurgery by the senior author.

Tumour recurrence post-radiosurgery occurred as solid growth in 19 patients (79%), while 5 patients (21%) developed large brainstem-compressing cysts. The median time interval for tumour recurrence post-radiosurgery was similar between cystic and non-cystic recurrent VS (30 vs. 25 months; p=0.08). Cystic recurrences occurred in primarily cystic VS in 3 patients, and new cysts developed in 2 patients with primarily solid VS. Intra-operatively, tumours were firm in 18 cases (75%) and strongly adhered to surrounding structures in 14 cases (58%). All cystic cases underwent cyst decompression, while complete resection of solid tumour components was avoided due to neurovascular adherence. At a mean follow-up of 42±39 months, 12 patients (50%) showed contrast-enhancing tumour residuals in follow-up imaging, including all cystic recurrent cases. Tumour residuals remained stable without requiring further intervention, except for one patient revealing malignant tumour transformation. House-Brackmann grade I/II was preserved in 15 patients (62%). Three patients (13%) developed new facial palsy, and two patients (8%) improved to House-Brackmann grade II. Cystic recurrences had a significantly higher frequency of tumour residuals compared to solid recurrences (100% vs. 37%; p=0.01) but similar rates of facial palsy (60% vs. 32%; p=0.24) CONCLUSIONS: Cyst development in VS post-radiosurgery is more common in primary cystic lesions but can also occur in rare cases of primary solid VS. Symptomatic cysts require microsurgical decompression. However, complete resection of the solid tumour component is not crucial for long-term tumour control and should be avoided if it risks neurological function in this delicate area.