Surgical management of cerebellopontine angle tumors

Of the 50 cerebellopontine angle tumors diagnosed during a three and one half year period, 36 were removed (all totally) using one of the three approaches to the cerebellopontine angle. Six patients, all elderly (over age 70) with obstructive hydrocephalus and complicating medical problems, had ventriculoperitoneal shunts inserted. One of these subsequently required tumor excision 10 months later. Of the 35 patients with normal functioning facial nerves pre-operatively, 34 (97 per cent) had the nerve spared surgically. Of 12 patients in whom hearing conservation was attempted, the cochlear nerve was spared in eight. However, useful hearing was preserved in one, with sound appreciated only in another.