CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · J Neurol Surg B Skull Base 2019; 80(S 03): S271
DOI: 10.1055/s-0038-1673703
Skull Base: Operative Videos
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Retrosigmoid Approach for Vestibular Schwannoma

Mohammed Aref
1   Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, United States
,
Katherine Kunigelis
1   Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, United States
,
Stephen P. Cass
2   Department of Otolaryngology, University of Colorado Hospital, Aurora, Colorado, United States
,
A. Samy Youssef
1   Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado, United States
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Address for correspondence

A. Samy Youssef, MD, PhD
Department of Neurosurgery
University of Colorado, 12631 East 17th Street, Mail Stop C307, Aurora, CO 80045
United States   

Publication History

28 April 2018

18 August 2018

Publication Date:
26 November 2018 (online)

 

    Abstract

    Vestibular schwannoma is a benign tumor that affects 3% of the population, but accounts for 85% of tumors occurring at the cerebellopontine angle (CPA). In this case, we present a 48-year-old female with history of cholesteatoma on the right and chronic suppurative otitis media on the left who presented with an 18 month history of bilateral hearing loss, worse on the right. Investigations revealed a right sided vestibular schwannoma measuring 1.6 cm in diameter. Audiogram revealed an AAO–HNS (American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery) class C hearing on the right and class B on the left. There are several management options for this size of vestibular schwannoma including observation and radiosurgery. However, preserving cochlear nerve function remains a challenging enterprise. Furthermore, the ideal management that confers the highest chance of hearing preservation remains heavily debated. Given the patient's young age, the goal of hearing preservation and the tumor size/extension into the CPA, surgery was decided through a right retrosigmoid transmeatal approach for tumor resection with intraoperative brain auditory evoked responses monitoring. For hearing preservation, we emphasize few important dissection techniques: tumor debulking from the top first to avoid early manipulation of the cochlear nerve at the bottom of the tumor, sharp dissection from medial to lateral off the vestibular nerve which is kept intact as a tension band to minimize cochlear nerve manipulations, and limit the drilling of the posterolateral wall of the internal auditory canal (IAC) medial to the labyrinth and endolymphatic apparatus. Postoperatively, the patient was discharged home within 2 days, with imaging showing a gross total resection. Follow-up audiogram shows unchanged pure tone thresholds.

    The link to the Video can be found at: https://youtu.be/Z5ftkpJN5k8.


    #

    www.thieme.com/skullbasevideos

    www.thieme.com/jnlsbvideos


    Quality:

    #

    Conflict of Interest

    None.

    Address for correspondence

    A. Samy Youssef, MD, PhD
    Department of Neurosurgery
    University of Colorado, 12631 East 17th Street, Mail Stop C307, Aurora, CO 80045
    United States