Acoustic tumors in developing countries.
Acoustic tumors are one of the common problems that both the otologist and the neurosurgeon face in Egypt. Early diagnosis and choice of surgical approach--whether middle fossa, translabyrinthine, or suboccipital--are discussed after review of forty-one cases of cerebellopontine angle masses we have seen over the last fifteen years. Particular attention is given to the difficulties in the diagnosis and management of acoustic tumors in developing countries. The reliability of the simple, inexpensive radiologic and audiometric tests is compared with that of the sophisticated CT scanning, polytomography, and brain stem evoked response audiometry. The high operative morbidity and mortality rates in this series are analyzed and the value of microsurgery in total extracapsular tumor resection is stressed.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery; D002530:Cerebellopontine Angle / Q000601:surgery; D003906:Developing Countries; D004534:Egypt; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis