Elimination of tinnitus following hearing preservation surgery for acoustic neuromas

Fifty-one consecutive patients undergoing hearing preservation surgery for acoustic neuromas were evaluated with regard to tinnitus and level of hearing. In 25 patients, hearing was not preserved. In this group, postoperative tinnitus was present in 8 of 13 patients who noted this symptom preoperatively. Four of the remaining 12 patients developed tinnitus following surgery. In 26 patients, useful hearing was preserved (speech reception threshold < 50 dB, speech discrimination score > 60%). Although 10 patients in this group complained of tinnitus preoperatively, only 4 patients noted it following surgery. None of the 16 remaining patients in this group developed tinnitus postoperatively. Overall, only 50% (12/23) of patients who had tinnitus preoperatively complained of it postoperatively, and only 8% (4/51) developed tinnitus as a result of surgery. Our results show that new-onset tinnitus is uncommon following hearing preservation surgery for acoustic neuroma and that it can be reduced or eliminated following surgery, especially if useful hearing is preserved.