Background Up to 98% of patients with schwannoma of the 8th cranial nerve suffer from hearing
loss at the time of diagnosis, or experience further hearing loss during treatment.
CROS-Hearing aids cannot restore binaural hearing, which is often desired by the patients.
This case series evaluates the audiological outcome of cochlear implantation after
removal of intracochlear or intrameatal schwannoma of the vestibulocochlear nerve.
Methods Within our group of 12 patients, 5 underwent cochlear implantation sequentially after
tumor removal (3/5 retrosigmoidal, 1/5 middle-fossa approach) or radiotherapy (2/5).
In 7 cases simultaneous transcochlear/ translabyrithine tumor removal and CI was performed.
Intraoperative ECAP and/or E-ABR measurements were used to monitor nerve function.
Results Only 2 patients did not regain usable hearing and were explanted later. Freiburg
number recognition varied between 50-100% (mean 91,1%), monosyllabic word recognition
between 0-90% (mean 45,3%). Four subjects with severe preoperative tinnitus additionally
reported significant tinnitus reduction after surgery.
Conclusion Cochlear implantation can be a viable option for hearing rehabilitation in patients
suffering from vestibular schwannoma.
Poster-PDF
A-1977.PDF
