Comparison of the Functional State and Motor Skills of Patients after Cerebral Hemisphere, Ventricular System, and Cerebellopontine Angle Tumor Surgery.

Brain tumor location is an important factor determining the functional state after brain tumor surgery. We assessed the functional state and course of rehabilitation of patients undergoing surgery for brain tumors and assessed the location-dependent risk of loss of basic motor skills and the time needed for improvement after surgery. There were 835 patients who underwent operations, and 139 (16.6%) required rehabilitation during the inpatient stay. Karnofsky Performance Scale, Barthel Index, and the modified Rankin scale were used to assess functional status, whereas Gait Index was used to assess gait efficiency. Motor skills, overall length of stay (LOS) in hospital, and LOS after surgery were recorded. Patients were classified into four groups: cerebral hemisphere (CH), ventricular system (VS), and cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumors; and a control group not requiring rehabilitation. VS tumor patients had the lowest scores in all domains compared with the other groups before surgery (p < 0.001). Their performance further deteriorated after surgery and by the day of discharge. They most often required long-lasting postoperative rehabilitation and had the longest LOS (35 days). Operation was most often required for CH tumors (77.7%), and all metrics and LOS parameters were better in these patients (p < 0.001). Patients with CPA tumors had the best outcomes (p < 0.001). Most patients (83.4%) with brain tumors did not require specialized rehabilitation, and LOS after surgery in the control group was on average 5.1 days after surgery. VS tumor patients represent a rehabilitation challenge. Postoperative rehabilitation planning must take the tumor site and preoperative condition into account.

Cochlear implantation after radiosurgery for vestibular schwannoma.

OBJECTIVE: The object of this study was to ascertain outcomes of cochlear implantation (CI) following stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for vestibular schwannoma (VS). METHODS: The authors conducted a retrospective chart review of adult patients with VS treated with SRS who underwent CI between 1990 and 2019 at a single tertiary care referral center. Patient demographics, tumor features, treatment parameters, and pre- and postimplantation audiometric and clinical outcomes are presented. RESULTS: Seventeen patients (18 ears) underwent SRS and ipsilateral CI during the study period. Thirteen patients (76%) had neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). Median age at SRS and CI were 44 and 48 years, respectively. Median time from SRS to CI was 60 days, but notably, 4 patients underwent SRS and CI within 1 day and 5 patients underwent CI more than 7 years after SRS. Median marginal dose was 13 Gy. Median treatment volume at the time of SRS was 1400 mm3 (range 84-6080 mm3, n = 15 patients). Median post-CI PTA was 28 dB HL, improved from 101 dB HL preoperatively (p < 0.001). Overall, 11 patients (12 ears) exhibited open-set speech understanding. Sentence testing was performed at a median of 10 months (range 1-143 months) post-CI. The median AzBio sentence score for patients with open-set speech understanding was 76% (range 19%-95%, n = 10 ears). Two ears exhibited Hearing in Noise Test (HINT) sentence scores of 49% and 95%, respectively. Four patients achieved environmental sound awareness without open-set speech recognition. Two had no detectable auditory percepts. CONCLUSIONS: Most patients who underwent CI following SRS for VS enjoyed access to sound at near-normal levels, with the majority achieving good open-set speech understanding. Implantation can be performed immediately following SRS or in a delayed fashion, depending on hearing status as well as other factors. This strategy may be applied to cases of sporadic or NF2-associated VS. ABBREVIATIONS: AAO-HNS = American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery; ABI = auditory brainstem implant; CI = cochlear implantation; CN = cranial nerve; CNC = consonant-nucleus-consonant; CPA = cerebellopontine angle; EPS = electrical promontory stimulation; ESA = environmental sound awareness; HINT = Hearing in Noise Test; IAC = internal auditory canal; NF2 = neurofibromatosis type 2; OSP = open-set speech perception; PTA = pure tone average; SRS = stereotactic radiosurgery; VS = vestibular schwannoma; WRS = word recognition score.

Early Outcomes of Simultaneous Translabyrinthine Resection and Cochlear Implantation.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: Hearing rehabilitation after translabyrinthine resection of a vestibular schwannoma (VS) has largely been based on the transfer of acoustic stimulus to the contralateral ear, typically through a contralateral routing of signal hearing aid or bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA). Cochlear implant, either as a subsequent surgery or simultaneously, has become a more common treatment option; however, there is still relatively limited data available on its success. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the early outcomes of simultaneous cochlear implantation in patients with sporadic VS undergoing translabyrinthine resection. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, nonrandomized study. METHODS: A prospective study of nonrandomized patients was completed at a tertiary care neurotology center. Audiologic outcomes, primarily based on AzBIO in quiet and background noise, as well as consonant-nucleus-consonant (CNC) testing of the affected ears were utilized. Tinnitus, dizziness, and spatial hearing questionnaries were also completed. Audiologic outcomes and questionnaires were compared between the pre- and postoperative groups. RESULTS: Ten patients were included in the study with 3 month follow-up data. There was statistically significant improvement in AzBO with +10 and +5 signal to noise ratio and in quiet, as well as in CNC testing (P < .05). There was a significant improvement in Tinnitus Handicap Inventory between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous cochlear implantation is a viable treatment for hearing loss after translabyrinthine approach to VS. These patients have improved hearing in background noise and tinnitus compared to their preoperative state. Further prognostic data are required to determine which patients are the best candidates. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 131:E2312-E2317, 2021.

Head movement kinematics are altered during gaze stability exercises in vestibular schwannoma patients.

Gaze stability is the ability of the eyes to fixate a stable point when the head is moving in space. Because gaze stability is impaired in peripheral vestibular loss patients, gaze stabilization exercises are often prescribed to facilitate compensation. However, both the assessment and prescription of these exercises are subjective. Accordingly, here we quantified head motion kinematics in patients with vestibular loss while they performed the standard of care gaze stability exercises, both before and after surgical deafferentation. We also correlate the head kinematic data with standard clinical outcome measures. Using inertial measurement units, we quantified head movements in patients as they transitioned through these two vestibular states characterized by different levels of peripheral damage. Comparison with age-matched healthy control subjects revealed that the same kinematic measurements were significantly abnormal in patients both pre- and post-surgery. Regardless of direction, patients took a longer time to move their heads during the exercises. Interestingly, these changes in kinematics suggest a strategy that existed preoperatively and remained symmetric after surgery although the patients then had complete unilateral vestibular loss. Further, we found that this kinematic assessment was a good predictor of clinical outcomes, and that pre-surgery clinical measures could predict post-surgery head kinematics. Thus, together, our results provide the first experimental evidence that patients show significant changes in head kinematics during gaze stability exercises, even prior to surgery. This suggests that early changes in head kinematic strategy due to significant but incomplete vestibular loss are already maladaptive as compared to controls.

Management of vestibular dysfunction and hearing loss in intralabyrinthine schwannomas.

PURPOSE: Intralabyrinthine schwannomas (ILS) are rare, benign, slow-growing tumors arising from schwann cells of the cochlear or vestibular nerves within the bony labyrinth. This study provides insight into the management of this rare tumor through a large case series. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After Institutional Review Board approval, a retrospective chart review was performed of all ILS patients treated at our institution between 2007 and 2019. RESULTS: 20 patients (9 male, 11 female) with ILS were managed at our institution. The right ear was affected in 9 patients (45%) and the left in 11 (55%). Subjective hearing loss was endorsed by all 20 patients. Average pure tone average at presentation was 72 dB nHL. Nine tumors (45%) were intravestibular, 6 (30%) were intracochlear, 4 (20%) were transmodiolar and 1 (5%) was intravestibulocochlear. Hearings aids were used in 3 patients (15%), BiCROS in 2 (10%), CI in 2 (10%), and bone conduction implant in 1 (5%). Vestibular rehabilitation was pursued in 5 patients. Surgical excision was performed for one patient (5%) via translabyrinthine approach due to intractable vertigo. No patients received radiotherapy or intratympanic gentamicin injections. CONCLUSION: ILS presents a diagnostic and management challenge given the similarity of symptoms with other disorders and limited treatment options. Hearing loss may be managed on a case-by-case basis according to patient symptoms while vestibular loss may be mitigated with vestibular therapy. Surgical excision may be considered in patients with intractable vertigo, severe hearing loss with concurrent CI placement, or in other case-by-case situations.

Hearing Status and Aural Rehabilitative Profile of 878 Patients With Sporadic Vestibular Schwannoma.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To examine the hearing status and aural rehabilitative profile in a national cohort of patients with sporadic vestibular schwannoma (VS). STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of Acoustic Neuroma Association members diagnosed with sporadic VS was performed from February 2017 through January 2019. Self-reported results were used to determine the aural rehabilitative profile of respondents. RESULTS: Among survey respondents, 62.2% (546/878) were not using any hearing-assistive device at time of survey. For the 37.8% (332/878) that were utilizing hearing-assistive devices, 32.8% (109/332) reported using a behind-the-ear hearing aid, 23.8% (79/332) used a contralateral routing of signal (CROS) hearing aid, and 21.7% (72/332) used a bone conduction device. Notably, 41.9% (278/663) of patients who previously underwent tumor treatment reported utilizing a hearing rehabilitation device at some point during VS management compared to 27.0% (58/215) of those undergoing observation with serial imaging (P < .001). Of 275 patients with functional hearing in the ipsilateral ear, 26.5% (73/275) reported having used at least one type of hearing device; 24.0% (66/275) reported use of a conventional hearing aid, 0.7% (2/275) a CROS aid, and 0.4% (1/275) a bone conduction device. Among respondents reporting ipsilateral nonfunctional hearing, 44.9% (258/575) reported having used at least one type of hearing device; 13.0% (75/575) a CROS aid, and 12.3% (71/575) a bone conduction device. CONCLUSIONS: Even among a cohort with presumably elevated literacy surrounding hearing rehabilitation options, few patients with a history of unilateral vestibular schwannoma ultimately use hearing assistive devices long-term, suggesting that most patients sufficiently adjust to unilateral hearing loss or are unsatisfied with the benefits achieved with current device options. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 131:1378-1381, 2021.

Simultaneous cochlear implantation and removal of acoustic neuroma: implications for hearing.

OBJECTIVE: To present our data evaluating the feasibility of simultaneous cochlear implantation with resection of acoustic neuroma. METHODS: This paper describes a case series of eight adult patients with a radiologically suspected acoustic neuroma, treated at a tertiary referral centre in Newcastle, Australia, between 2012 and 2015. Patients underwent cochlear implantation concurrently with removal of an acoustic neuroma. The approach was translabyrinthine, with facial nerve monitoring and electrically evoked auditory brainstem response testing. Standard post-implant rehabilitation was employed, with three and six months' follow-up data collected. The main outcome measures were: hearing, subjective benefit of implant, operative complications and tumour recurrence. RESULTS: Eight patients underwent simultaneous cochlear implantation with resection of acoustic neuroma over a 3-year period, and had 25-63 months' follow up. There were no major complications. All patients except one gained usable hearing and were daily implant users. CONCLUSION: Simultaneous cochlear implantation with resection of acoustic neuroma has been shown to be a safe treatment option, which will be applicable in a wide range of clinical scenarios as the indications for cochlear implantation continue to expand.

PREHAB vs. REHAB - presurgical treatment in vestibular schwannoma surgery enhances recovery of postural control better than postoperative rehabilitation: Retrospective case series.

OBJECT: To evaluate post-surgical postural stability when treating patients with remaining vestibular function with intratympanic gentamicin (PREHAB) prior to schwannoma surgery. METHOD: 44 consecutive patients with some form remaining vestibular function scheduled for vestibular schwannoma surgery. 20 were medically deafferented with intratympanic gentamicin before surgery and 24 were not. Both groups were of the same age, had the same tumor size, same type of surgery, and same perioperative sensory rehabilitation (training exercises), and no surgical complications. Postural stability measured as energy expenditure while standing on a force platform during vibratory stimulation of the calf muscles, performed prior to surgery (or gentamicin treatment) and 6 months after surgery. RESULTS: Patients pretreated with gentamicin had significantly better postural stability at the time for follow-up (p < 0.05) and displayed a better adaptive capacity when faced with a postural challenge (p < 0.01). They were also able to use vision more efficiently to control their stability (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: By separating the sensory loss (through intratympanic gentamicin, that ablates the remaining vestibular function) from the intracranial surgical trauma, the postural control system benefited from a better short-term (adaptation) and long-term (habituation) recovery, when experiencing a postural challenge or resolving a sensory conflict. The benefits could be attributed to; active and continuous motor learning as the vestibular function slowly attenuates; no concomitant central nervous dysfunction due to effects from neurosurgery, thus allowing time for a separate unimpeded recovery process with more limited challenges and objectives; and the initiation and certain progression of sensory reweighting processes allowed prior to surgery. In contrast, worse compensation could be due to; immobilization from nausea after surgery, harmful amount of stress and cognitive dysfunction from the combination of surgical and sensory trauma and an abrupt vestibular deafferentation and its consequences on sensory reweighting.

Intralabyrinthine schwannomas : Surgical management and hearing rehabilitation with cochlear implants.

Intralabyrinthine schwannomas (ILS) are a rare differential diagnosis of sudden hearing loss and vertigo. In an own case series of 12 patients, 6 tumors showed an intracochlear, 3 an intravestibular, 1 a transmodiolar including the cerebellopontine angle (CPA), 1a transotic including the CPA, and 1 a multilocular location. The tumors were removed surgically in 9 patients, whereas 3 patients decided for a "wait-and-test-and-scan" strategy. Of the surgical patients, 3 underwent labyrinthectomy and cochlear implant (CI) surgery in a single-stage procedure; 1 patient had extended cochleostomy with CI surgery; 3 underwent partial or subtotal cochleoectomy, with partial cochlear reconstruction and CI surgery (n = 1) or implantation of electrode dummies for possible later CI after repeated MRI follow-up (n = 2); and in 2 patients, the tumors of the internal auditory canal and cerebellopontine angle exhibiting transmodiolar or transmacular growth were removed by combined translabyrinthine-transotic resection. For the intracochlear tumors, vestibular function could mostly be preserved after surgery. In all cases with CI surgery, hearing rehabilitation was successful, although speech discrimination was limited for the case with subtotal cochleoectomy. Surgical removal of intracochlear schwannomas via partial or subtotal cochleoectomy is, in principle, possible with preservation of vestibular function. In the authors' opinion, radiotherapy of ILS is only indicated in isolated cases. Cochlear implantation during or after tumor resection (i. e., as synchronous or staged surgeries) is an option for hearing rehabilitation in cartain cases and represents a therapeutic approach in contrast to a "wait-and-test-and-scan" strategy.

[Intralabyrinthine schwannomas : Surgical management and hearing rehabilitation with cochlear implants. German version]. / Intralabyrinthäre Schwannome : Chirurgisches Management und Hörrehabilitation mit Cochleaimplantaten.

Intralabyrinthine schwannomas (ILS) are a rare differential diagnosis of sudden hearing loss and vertigo. In an own case series of 12 patients, 6 tumors showed an intracochlear, 3 an intravestibular, 1 a transmodiolar including the cerebello-pontine angle (CPA), 1 a transotic including the CPA and 1 a multilocular location. The tumors were removed surgically in 9 patients, whereas 3 patients opted for a "wait-and-test-and-scan" strategy. Of the surgical patients, 3 underwent labyrinthectomy and cochlear implant (CI) surgery in a single stage procedure; 1 patient received extended cochleostomy with CI surgery; 3 underwent partial or subtotal cochleoectomy, with partial cochlear reconstruction and CI surgery (n = 1) or implantation of electrode dummies for possible later CI following repeated MRI follow-up (n = 2); and in 2 patients, the tumors of the internal auditory canal and cerebellopontile angle exhibiting transmodiolar or transmacular growth were removed by combined translabyrinthine-transotic resection. For the intracochlear tumors, vestibular function could mostly be preserved after surgery. In all cases with CI surgery, hearing rehabilitation was successful, although speech discrimination was limited for the case with subtotal cochleoectomy. Surgical removal of intracochlear schwannomas via partial or subtotal cochleoectomy is, in principle, possible with preservation of vestibular function. In the authors' opinion, radiotherapy of ILS is only indicated in isolated cases. Provided performed early enough, cochlear implantation after surgical removal of ILS is an option for auditory rehabilitation, thus representing-in contrast to the "wait-and-test-and-scan" strategy-a therapeutic approach.

Postoperative imaging of the internal auditory canal : Visualization of active auditory implants.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of the internal auditory canal (IAC) and cochlea is of central importance in neurotology. The artefacts and visibility of active auditory implants on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) vary because of their specific magnetic components. Knowledge of the size of MRI artefacts and the options for handling them is important for the auditory rehabilitation of specific diseases (e. g., vestibular schwannoma). METHODS: The current article is a literature review. RESULTS: MRI assessment of the IAC and cochlea after surgical placement of an active auditory implant is feasible only with a percutaneous bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA, Ponto). When specific factors (implant position and MRI sequence) are taken into consideration, these structures can be visualized even after cochlear implantation. Complications such as magnet dislocation and pain may occur. CONCLUSION: The possibility of assessing the IAC and cochlea by MRI is an important aspect that needs to be taken into consideration when planning the auditory rehabilitation of patients after acoustic neuroma surgery.

Treatment and auditory rehabilitation of intralabyrinthine schwannoma by means of cochlear implants : English version.

BACKGROUND: To date, the therapy of intralabyrinthine schwannoma consists mainly of a wait-and-see approach, completely ignoring auditory rehabilitation. Only a few single-case reports are as yet available on treatment with cochlear implants (CI). AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to assess the results of auditory rehabilitation after treatment with CI in a series of cases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The demographic findings, symptoms, and results of surgical therapy in 8 patients were evaluated in a retrospective analysis. RESULTS: Prior to surgery, all patients presented with profound hearing loss and tinnitus. Episodic dizziness was reported by 3 patients. Among the patients, 4 had an intracochlear and 3 an intravestibular schwannoma, and a transmodiolar schwannoma was found in 1 patient. A total of 6 patients underwent treatment with CI. The results of auditory rehabilitation are favorable with open-set speech comprehension. CONCLUSION: CI treatment following resection of an intralabyrinthine schwannoma is a promising option for auditory rehabilitation, even in single-sided deafness. This is a new treatment concept in contrast to the wait-and-scan policy. Expectant management appears justified only if the patient still has usable hearing.

Acute VOR gain differences for outward vs. inward head impulses.

BACKGROUND: Vestibular rehabilitation is a sub-specialization within the practice of physical therapy that includes treatments designed to reduce gaze instability. Gaze stability exercises are commonly given for head rotations to the left and right, even in subjects with one healthy vestibular system (as in unilateral loss). Few studies have investigated the difference in the angular vestibular ocular reflex gain (aVOR) measured in the acute phase after deafferentation for ipsilesional head rotations that move the head away from center or towards center. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare differences in acute aVOR gain when the head was passively rotated outward from an initially centered position (neck neutral) versus the head being rotated inward. METHODS: We recorded head and eye velocity using video head impulse test equipment in patients with unilateral vestibular pathology scheduled for tumor resection via retrosigmoid approach (n=5) or labyrinthectomy due to Meniere's disease (n=2). RESULTS: We found 1) no difference in the ipsilesional aVOR gain for inward or outward directed head impulse rotations and 2) head velocity is inversely correlated with aVOR gain for ipsilesional but not contralesional rotations. CONCLUSIONS: Bedside testing of the ipsilesional aVOR following acute vestibular ablation can be done with head impulse rotations to either side. In the acute stages, physical therapists should prescribe ipsilesional and contralesional gaze stability exercises.

Cochlear implantation in patients with neurofibromatosis type 2: variables affecting auditory performance.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate cochlear implant performance outcomes among patients with Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series, patient questionnaire, and systematic review of the literature. SETTING: Tertiary academic referral center. PATIENTS: All patients with NF2 having an anatomically intact ipsilateral cochlear nerve who underwent cochlear implantation (CI). INTERVENTION(S): Cochlear implantation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Postimplantation audiometric performance and patient perceived benefit. RESULTS: Ten patients met study criteria. The median duration of follow-up after CI was 42 months (mean, 46.9 mo; range, 12-97 mo). Five patients received previous microsurgical resection of their ipsilateral vestibular schwannoma, 4 underwent previous stereotactic radiosurgery, and 1 patient had no tumor treatment before CI. Nine subjects achieved sound awareness, 6 attained open-set speech recognition and 7 are daily users. Variables including prolonged auditory deprivation, cochlear ossification, unfavorable electrical promontory stimulation testing, and useful contralateral hearing were associated with poor cochlear implant performance. No statistical associations were found between open-set recognition capacity and previous tumor management strategy, surgical approach, or ipsilateral tumor size. CONCLUSION: Cochlear implantation is an attractive alternative to auditory brainstem implantation for hearing rehabilitation in patients with NF2. Approximately 70% of patients achieve open-set speech discrimination, many scoring at the ceiling of audiometric testing. Given a favorable risk profile and superior audiometric outcomes, CI should be strongly considered in patients with nonserviceable hearing who have an anatomically intact cochlear nerve, whereas auditory brainstem implantation should be reserved for patients with evidence of cochlear nerve loss. Akin to conventional cochlear implant recipients, prolonged hearing loss, unfavorable electrophysiological testing, and cochlear ossification may predict poor subject performance. Finally, useful hearing in the contralateral ear may present a barrier to daily device use.

Surgical management of vestibular schwannomas and hearing rehabilitation in neurofibromatosis type 2.

OBJECTIVES: To report our approach to the surgical management of vestibular schwannomas (VSs) and hearing rehabilitation in neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary referral NF2 unit. PATIENTS: Between 1981 and 2011, seventy-five patients were managed in our NF2 unit, of which, 58 patients are under current review. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients who underwent VS excision were evaluated for tumor size, surgical approach, and outcomes of hearing and facial nerve function. All current patients were evaluated for NF2 mutation, hearing, and auditory implantation outcomes. RESULTS: Forty-four patients underwent resection of 50 VS in our unit, of which, 14% had facial neuroma excision and reinnervation during the same operation. At 12 months after surgery, facial nerve outcomes were House-Brackmann (HB) 1 in 33%, HB2 in 21%, and HB3 in 30%. Total VS resection was achieved in 78% of patients using a translabyrinthine approach. Seventy-two percent of the current patients have American Association of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery class A to C hearing (maximum speech discrimination score over 50%) in the better hearing ear, and a further 14% are full-time users of cochlear implants or auditory brainstem implants. The remaining patients have been assessed for auditory implantation. CONCLUSION: By following a policy of treating VS in NF2 patients where tumor growth is observed, complete tumor resection can be achieved through a translabyrinthine approach while achieving comparable facial nerve outcomes to published series. We advocate proactive hearing rehabilitation in all patients with timely assessment for auditory implantation to maintain quality of life.

Cochlear implant rehabilitation for patients with vestibular schwannoma: report of two cases.

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: The objective of this paper is to highlight two main points. The primary aim is to demonstrate that cochlear implants can function in the presence of retrocochlear pathology, even after stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), and hence to introduce this as a management option in selected patients with retrocochlear pathology, such as Neurofibromatosis type II (NFII) patients. A secondary aim is to act as a caveat that computed tomography (CT) scanning alone may not be sufficient imaging in subjects undergoing cochlear implantation (CI). CLINICAL PRESENTATION: In this paper we report two patients who underwent cochlear implant despite the presence of a vestibular schwannoma (VS) on the same side. The first case is a 59-year-old male, diagnosed with VS after 9 months of good hearing with a cochlear implant. The second case is 26-year-old female known case of NFII, received a cochlear implant after controlling the tumor growth with a SRS. CONCLUSION: We show the consequences of missing important pre-implant pathology prior to CI in one case. In both cases, we add to the literature showing that cochlear implants can work well in the presence of VS, even in the presence of previous SRS. This adds significantly to the management options available to NFII patients, and the results seem to be better than those expected for auditory brainstem implant (ABI), and with a much simpler and safer intervention.

Vestibular dysfunction and compensation after removal of acoustic neuroma.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate vestibular function after unilateral acoustic neuroma surgery via a retrosigmoid approach. METHODS: Thirty-eight patients were tested using caloric irrigation, static posturography, and the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) before, and one week to nine months after surgery. RESULTS: Twenty-six patients were categorized as a response group and 12 as a no-response group on the basis of preoperative caloric irrigation findings. The posturographic parameters and DHI scores at one week after surgery showed significant deterioration in the response group, but not in the no-response group. However, they recovered to the preoperative baseline at 3 months after surgery. The posturographic parameters and DHI scores for older patients tended to be worse than those for younger patients at 6 and 9 months after surgery. CONCLUSION: Patients in whom caloric responses are retained preoperatively show a temporary disturbance of balance after removal of acoustic neuroma. Disequilibrium after surgery ameliorates to the preoperative baseline within three months due to vestibular compensation, regardless of preoperative vestibular function. It is possible that poorer vestibular compensation may facilitate incomplete recovery in older patients after surgery.

Failure of gamma-aminobutyrate acid-beta agonist baclofen to improve balance, gait, and postural control after vestibular schwannoma resection.

INTRODUCTION: Incomplete postural control often occurs after vestibular schwannoma (VS) surgery. Customized vestibular rehabilitation in man improves and speeds up this process. Animal experiments have shown an improved and faster vestibular compensation after administration of the gamma-aminobutyrate acid (GABA)-beta agonist baclofen. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether medical treatment with baclofen provides an improvement of the compensation process after VS surgery. DESIGN: A time-series study with historical control. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. METHODS: Thirteen patients who underwent VS resection were included and compared with a matched group of patients. In addition to an individualized vestibular rehabilitation protocol, the study group received medical treatment with 30 mg baclofen (a GABA-beta agonist) daily during the first 6 weeks after surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical gait and balance tests (Romberg maneuver, standing on foam, tandem Romberg, single-leg stance, Timed Up & Go test, tandem gait, Dynamic Gait Index) and Dizziness Handicap Inventory. Follow-up until 24 weeks after surgery. RESULTS: When examining the postoperative test results, the group treated with baclofen did not perform better when compared with the matched (historical control) group. Repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed no significant group effect, but a significant time effect for almost all balance tests during the acute recovery period was found. An interaction effect between time and intervention was seen concerning single-leg stance and Dizziness Handicap Inventory scores for the acute recovery period. CONCLUSION: Medical therapy with baclofen did not seem to be beneficial in the process of central vestibular compensation.

Hearing rehabilitation in neurofibromatosis type 2 patients: cochlear versus auditory brainstem implantation.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate and compare the auditory performance of neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) patients with bilateral total deafness fitted with cochlear or auditory brainstem implants. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A retrospective case review was performed. Nine patients suffering from NF2 who underwent hearing rehabilitation by means of cochlear (4 patients) or auditory brainstem (5 patients) implantation participated in the study. Postoperative auditory performance was assessed using closed- and open-set tests. RESULTS: In the group of patients fitted with a cochlear implant, 3 subjects achieved open-set speech recognition abilities comparable to those of standard adult postlingual implant patients; the remaining patient scored 0% in all open-set format tests, reporting benefits only in environmental sound detection and lip-reading. Among the 5 patients who underwent auditory brainstem implantation, 1 reached good open-set speech recognition skills, scoring 70% in the common phrases comprehension test, and she was able to communicate on the telephone. Two other patients achieved open-set speech understanding (respectively, 33 and 41% in the common phrases comprehension test), reporting daily use of their device. The remaining 2 patients did not achieve any level of open-set speech perception, obtaining only improved access to environmental sound and lip-reading skills. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirmed literature data reporting that cochlear implantation may offer open-set speech communication in NF2 patients. In this small cohort, cochlear implant patients performed better than auditory brainstem implant patients, even if variability in auditory performance was observed with both devices. More studies are needed in order to clarify the role and reliability of electrophysiological tests in predicting the residual functionality of the cochlear nerve after tumor removal.

Preoperative vestibular ablation with gentamicin and vestibular 'prehab' enhance postoperative recovery after surgery for pontine angle tumours--first report.

CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative gentamicin in combination with vestibular 'prehab' offers a possibility to reduce postoperative malaise and speed up recovery and may be used for patients undergoing such surgery when there is remaining vestibular function. OBJECTIVES: Removal of pontine angle tumours in a patient with remaining vestibular function causes symptoms of acute vestibular loss. A simultaneous cerebellar lesion can cause a combined vestibule-cerebellar lesion. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twelve patients with pontine angle tumours but with near normal vestibular function were treated with intratympanic gentamicin in combination with vestibular 'prehab' to achieve preoperative vestibular ablation and compensation. After work-up patients started with a home-based vestibular training programme for 14 days. They then received a total of 1.2 ml of 30 mg/ml buffered gentamicin in four intratympanic installations over 2 days. They continued training and returned 6-16 weeks later. All patients were tested with calorics, vestibular video-impulse testing of all six canals, VEMP, subjective visual vertical and horizontal, posturography and pure tone and speech audiometry. RESULTS: There was a loss of caloric reactions and loss of impulses. In two patients the hearing deteriorated and in one hearing improved. All subjects were vestibulary compensated before surgery and no patient complained of dizziness or vertigo after surgery.