[Results of suboccipital removal of acoustic neurinomas in Denmark 1979-1990].

In the period from 1979 to 1990, a series of 59 patients with 59 acoustic neuromas were operated upon in five departments of neurosurgery by at least five different neurosurgical teams, employing the suboccipital approach. The perioperative mortality rate was 8.5%. Complications including hematoma, ventricular hemorrhage, meningitis, hemiparalysis, abducens nerve paralysis, recurrent nerve paralysis, postoperative wound infection and CSF leak were observed in 21 patients (35.6%). Radical removal of the tumor was not possible in 17 patients (28.8%). Converting the postoperative facial nerve function to the House-Brackmann (HB) classification, 34 patients (57.6%) were regarded as HB VI. Reconstruction of the facial nerve was attempted in 19 patients (32.2%). Attempts at preservation of hearing were unsuccessful in all patients. Failure to attain better results and the importance of the centralized Danish model of acoustic neuroma surgery are emphasized.