Acoustic neuroma surgery in northern Finland.

A series of 40 patients with acoustic neuromas were operated on using the suboccipital or the translabyrinthine approach. Some patients were operated on using both routes. The series extends back to 1977 and contain predominantly large tumours. There was no mortality in the translabyrinthine series of 14 patients. In the suboccipitally treated series of 29 patient, 3 were previously treated using translabyrinthine approach. In this series there was one death directly due to sequelae of neuroma extirpation and in another, additional causes were present. Preoperative facial pareses were frequent. There were several additional pareses in the translabyrinthine series and also several additional in the suboccipital series. Facial pareses were operated on by a plastic surgeon and they did not markedly detract from working capacity. Only 2 patients in the total series had small tumours and useful preoperative hearing. Cochlear function was preserved in them.