Acoustic neuroma and pregnancy

From January 1978 through July 1989, 360 patients underwent primary removal of an acoustic neuroma at the Mayo Clinic. Seventy of these patients were women under the age of 46 years; six of them were pregnant between the time of onset of their symptoms and the removal of their tumor. A review of the records of these six women revealed the presenting complaint in most to be central neurologic symptoms rather than labyrinthine symptoms. All had unilateral tumors. These tumors tended to be larger and more vascular than those in the nonpregnant cohort, and to have greater surgical morbidity. The pure-tone hearing levels were normal in four of these patients. All women experienced normal vaginal delivery without complication. Based on our experience with these women, we believe that acoustic neuroma present during pregnancy may be managed by close observation until the postpartum period, provided there are no impending neurologic complications.