Relationship between vestibular schwannoma and endolymphatic hydrops

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Neurology
• Radiology

Background:

• Vestibular schwannoma (VS) and Meniere's disease (MD) are inner ear disorders.
• Endolymphatic hydrops (EH) is a key feature in MD and may be related to VS.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between vestibular schwannoma (VS) and endolymphatic hydrops (EH).
• To clarify the prevalence of EH in VS patients and VS in EH patients.

Main Methods:

• Eighty patients with VS or MD underwent inner ear testing and hydrops MRI.
• Patients were categorized into groups based on the presence of VS and EH.
• Comparison included patients with MD and EH, VS without EH, and VS with EH.

Main Results:

• Endolymphatic hydrops (EH) was present in 59% of Meniere's disease (MD) patients without VS.
• Vestibular schwannoma (VS) was found in 6% of EH patients.
• EH was identified in 18% of VS patients, aligning with histopathological findings.

Conclusions:

• The high prevalence of EH in VS patients suggests a potential association.
• VS in EH patients appears to be largely coincidental.
• Hydrops MRI is crucial for diagnosing EH in patients with or without VS.