title: Unilateral acoustic neuromas in childhood without evidence of neurofibromatosis: case report and review of the literature.
abstract: A six-year-old female with a unilateral benign acoustic neuroma and no evidence of neurofibromatosis is presented. Review of the literature revealed only 16 cases of unilateral acoustic neuromas in children less than 15 years old. Children often do not appreciate hearing loss when compared with adults. As a result, they often present with larger tumors, thus adversely affecting outcome. The need for early diagnostic tests and a hearing-conservation surgical approach is emphasized. Routine follow-up imaging studies are crucial to rule out the development of a contralateral acoustic neuroma in neurofibromatosis-2 (NF-2).
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Maceri
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Giannotta
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shih
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: McComb
mesh_terms: D001299:Audiometry; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D016518:Neurofibromatosis 2; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*