Suboccipital removal of acoustic neuromas. Results of 125 operations.

The surgical results obtained in 125 patients with acoustic neuromas, using the suboccipital approach, are reported. These results do not differ from those obtained in other neurosurgical materials, with the same distribution of tumour size, and the same surgical approach. The material consists of 20 medium size tumours, and 105 large. However, the results, regarding both mortality, postoperative facial paralysis as well as post-operative condition in general are unsatisfactory. A historical review of the development of the surgical treatment of acoustic neuromas is given, and the necessity of a closer neurosurgical-otologic cooperation is stressed, both with regard to diagnosis of the neuromas as well as the surgical treatment.