Postoperative quality of life in vestibular schwannoma patients measured by the SF36 Health Questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE

To quantify the postoperative quality of life in patients following surgical treatment for vestibular schwannoma.

STUDY DESIGN

Patient self-assessment using the short form 36 (SF36) multidimensional quality of life health questionnaire. Sex- and age-matched normalized scores were calculated using a standardized process and accepted normative data.

SETTING

Tertiary referral skull base unit.

RESULTS

An 80% response rate (90 patients) was achieved. The postoperative quality of life in vestibular schwannoma patients, as quantified by seven of the eight SF36 health scales was less than the appropriate matched healthy standard. Comparison of a variety of preoperative patients and tumor factors-different operative approaches (translabyrinthine and retrosigmoid), tumor size (group cut of points of tumor diameter 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm), patient sex, and ranking of patient age-showed no statistically significant difference in measured quality of life outcomes for each of these traditional predictors.

CONCLUSION

Reduced quality of life in patients after surgical treatment for vestibular schwannoma, coupled with the low tumor growth rates and minimal preoperative symptoms, supports a conservative approach to patient management. The advantages and disadvantages of a variety of approaches used to measure the quality of life after surgical treatment of vestibular schwannoma and their impact on clinical decision making for patients, are discussed.