[Hearing preservation and tinnitus following removal of acoustic neurinomas].

Thirty-five cases of unilateral acoustic neurinomas were analyzed with special reference to the postoperative eighth cranial nerve function. An additional three cases of bilateral acoustic neurinomas associated with neurofibromatosis were also analyzed. Out of a total of 40 neurinomas in all, 38 cases were retrospectively reviewed. The thirty-five cases of unilateral acoustic neurinomas were summarized as follows. The patients' age ranged from 23 to 69 years old. The tumor size varied as follows; 7 cases were confined to the internal acoustic meatus, 4 cases were 20 mm or less in their maximum diameter, 13 cases were 30 mm or less, and 11 cases were more than 30 mm. The consistency of the tumor was classified as being solid in 27 cases, and being cystic in 8 cases. Hearing had been maintained in 27 cases on admission, serviceable in 17 cases, unserviceable in 10 cases and deaf in 8 cases. Operations were performed via the retromastoid suboccipital approach in all cases. The facial nerve was anatomically preserved in all cases. On the other hand, the cochlear nerve was anatomically preserved in 14 out of 35 cases (40%). The preservation ratio of the cochlear nerve showed a negative correlation to the tumor size. In 17 cases with preoperative serviceable hearing, preservation of the cochlear nerve was attempted, which resulted in a 65% anatomical preservation. However, hearing was preserved in 4 cases (36%). Serviceable hearing was preserved in only 2 cases. Tinnitus developed in 20 cases preoperatively, and then occurred postoperatively in 11 cases. Tinnitus was prominently aggravated in 2 cases in which the cochlear nerves were preserved, which resulted in unserviceable hearing. There was a statistically significant correlation between cochlear nerve preservation and the postoperative presence of tinnitus (Fisher's exact probability test: P = 0.0106 < 0.05). Tinnitus was aggravated just after the operation. However, it gradually improved and vanished as the hearing showed a recovery to a slight degree in one case. Three cases of bilateral acoustic neurinomas in neurofibromatosis were also summarized. One case received the operation only on the unilateral side. The remaining two cases were operated bilaterally. To preserve serviceable hearing on at least one side, partial removal of the tumor was performed under the monitoring of auditory brain stem response and/or cochlear microphonic potential. Serviceable hearing on at least one side was maintained in all three cases. In conclusion, hearing preservation can be expected after removal of the acoustic neurinomas under the following situations; hearing acuity of less than 50-60dB in preoperative pure tone audiogram, tumor size of less than 20 mm in maximum diameter, cases with preservation of cochlear nerve and of the internal auditory artery during the operation, and no injury to the labyrinth during the operation. In some cases, tinnitus becomes aggravated in the case with cochlear nerve preservation associated with unserviceable hearing. Furthermore, the degree of tinnitus shows a decrease as postoperative hearing improves in some cases.