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Facial nerve outcome in lateral skull base surgery for benign lesions
P G von Doersten1, C G Jackson, S Manolidis
1Rocky Mountain Eye and Ear Center, Missoula, Montana 59801, USA.
Objective:
To statistically identify factors most important in affecting CN7 outcome in lateral skull base surgery for benign lesions.
Study Design:
A retrospective review of 217 nonmalignancy lateral skull base procedures from 1970 to 1995 at the Otology Group in Nashville.
Methods:
Charts were reviewed for epidemiology, histopathology, staging, type of CN7 mobilization (none, short, long, severance with reanastomosis, and resection), preoperative and postoperative CN7 function, surgery performed, and survival.
Results:
Average House-Brackman (HB) scores for mobilizations were as follows: short, 1.65: long, 2.74: and grafting, 4.33. Factors found to affect outcome in a statistically significant fashion were preoperative HB score, staging, type of CN7 manipulation, and surgical approach. Meningiomas were found to have a worse outcome than glomus tumors.
Conclusions:
Complete resection of tumors should be performed with minimal manipulation of the facial nerve based on regional anatomy and tumor anatomy.