Reversible compression neuropathy of the eighth cranial nerve from a large jugular foramen schwannoma

Jugular foramen schwannomas are unusual tumors occasionally resulting in neural hearing losses. Two previously reported cases document preservation of hearing following removal of a jugular foramen schwannoma. I report the third such case, in which there was progressive auditory and vestibular dysfunction seen on serial preoperative auditory tests and recovery of function seen on postoperative auditory and vestibular tests. The presumed pathophysiologic feature sub-serving this observation is compression neuropathy. I discuss experiences with compression neuropathy in animals and man under other circumstances.