[Auditory results after transtemporal removal of acoustic neurinoma]

A retrospective study was conducted to assess results of hearing in patients who underwent resections of acoustic neuromas via the middle fossa approach. A statistical correlation of results with preoperative clinical and audiological data determined if any prognostic indicators could be associated with successful preservation of hearing. Of 93 patients included in the study, useful hearing was preserved in 54 (58%), while hearing was preserved within 10 dB of preoperative levels in 42 patients (45%). The possibility for hearing preservation appeared to be inversely related to the size of the acoustic tumor, with hearing preserved in 39 of 65 patients (60%) with tumors less than or equal to 0.5 cm. Preoperative hearing levels and electronystagmography seemed to have no prognostic value. However, auditory brain stem responses showed that a wave V latency of less than 6.8 msec was associated with an increased chance of hearing preservation. Additionally, the presence of vertigo as a pre-operative complaint appeared to be a good prognostic indicator for successful hearing preservation.