[Surgery of acoustic neurinoma. Apropos of a personal series. Development of techniques and results].

Between 1973 and 1987, 125 acoustic neurinomas were operated on in oto-neuro-surgery. The sub-occipital approach route was used for Stages III and IV up to 1982 (30 cases). Subsequently, surgery for all the neurinomas used the translabyrinthine approach route (82 cases), except for those cases where an attempt was made to preserve hearing by a supra-petrosal route (6 cases) or a retrosigmoid route (6 cases). The translabyrinthine approach route provided the simplest sequellae and the best preservation of the function of the facial nerve: grades I and II in 68% of cases (in 80% of cases by excluding Stage IV). Preservation of hearing was perfect in 2 cases, and partial in 2 cases, out of 12 attempts. The use of a facial nerve monitor proved highly satisfactory.