Preoperative Assessment of Cervical Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (cVEMPs) Help in Predicting Hearing Preservation After Removal of Vestibular Schwannomas Through a Middle Fossa Craniotomy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMPs) are predictive of hearing preservation in patients undergoing vestibular schwannoma removal through middle fossa craniotomy approach. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case study. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Eighteen patients who underwent a middle fossa craniotomy for vestibular schwannoma (stage I or II of Koos classification) with attempted hearing preservation from January 2008 to February 2016 were retrospectively reviewed. INTERVENTION: Pre-surgical cVEMPs test, videonystagmography (caloric test), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as well as a pre- and post-surgical audiometry test. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: cVEMPs parameters including amplitude asymmetry ratio (AR), P13, and N23 latencies and peak-to-peak amplitude between P13 and N23 waves were calculated. Hearing data were classified according to the AAO-HNS hearing classes. The nerve of origin of the tumor was specified during surgery and the largest tumor diameter was measure on MRI axial plane on T2-CISS weighed images. RESULTS: Preoperative amplitude asymmetry ratio was lower (n = 15, Mann-Whitney U test, p < 0.001) in the group with postoperative hearing preservation (n = 11) compared with the group with postoperative hearing preservation failure (n = 4). The positive predictive value of an AR less than 24% to assess postoperative hearing preservation is 91.6%. Tumor size and localization were not correlated with cVEMPs, nor with caloric testing in this group of small-sized intracanalicular vestibular schwannomas. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that cVEMPs may help predict hearing preservation outcome in vestibular schwannoma surgery via the middle fossa craniotomy approach.

Middle fossa approach for resection of vestibular schwannoma: impact of cochlear fossa extension and auditory monitoring on hearing preservation.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the impact of patient selection and auditory monitoring on hearing results after middle fossa craniotomy approach for resection of a vestibular schwannoma (VS). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case review. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Patients undergoing a middle fossa craniotomy for resection of VS at a single institution between 1995 and 2006 were included in the study population. Patients presenting with Neurofibromatosis Type 2 or who underwent a combined approach (middle fossa and retrosigmoid) were excluded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hearing preservation as measured by serial audiograms. RESULTS: Seventy-seven patients were identified. Before excluding patients with cochlear fossa enhancement and the use of auditory monitoring, 47% of the patients maintained serviceable hearing (American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Class A or B). By selecting tumors that did not involve the cochlear fossa and using auditory monitoring, serviceable postoperative hearing was preserved in 76% of the patients. CONCLUSION: Modification of our selection criteria for surgery and the use of auditory monitoring have improved our hearing results for patients undergoing a middle fossa approach for resection of VS from 47% to 76%.

Congenital nasal pyriform aperture stenosis: diagnosis and management.

OBJECTIVES: To review diagnosis and treatment modalities in congenital nasal pyriform aperture stenosis in a newborn population. STUDY DESIGN: A 6-year retrospective case series review. Mean follow-up of 21.8 months. SETTING: University hospital, tertiary care center. PATIENTS: Twenty-one consecutive patients treated for congenital nasal pyriform aperture stenosis. Diagnosis was suspected on physical examination and confirmed by computed tomography scan. Associated abnormalities were present in 15 patients. SURGICAL TREATMENT: Nineteen patients underwent surgical treatment focused on external bony margins of pyriform aperture and the osseous anterior edge of the inferior turbinate, drilling by a sublabial approach and associated with a partial turbinectomy in seven cases. A stent was placed for 7 to 10 days. A conservative treatment based on topical nasal decongestants and gastroesophageal reflux treatment was proposed for two patients. RESULTS: Postoperative follow-up revealed septal ulceration in five cases with septal perforation in one case and development of synechiae in two cases. Follow-up revealed normal nasal breathing and pyriform aperture growth after surgery. CONCLUSION: Our experience confirmed the link described between congenital nasal pyriform aperture stenosis and holoprosencephaly, but associated extracraniofacial malformations suggest that congenital nasal pyriform aperture stenosis should be integrated in a systemic malformative syndrome or genetic disorder and lead us to propose an exhaustive dysmorphology assessment. Some infants may be treated by conservative management, and severely affected patients may undergo surgery by a sublabial approach.