title: Acoustic neuromas: a review of 58 patients and correlation of tumour-size to the outcome.
abstract: Fifty eight patients with acoustic neuromas, who presented over a six year period were reviewed. These patients were sub divided into three groups according to their tumour size. Group A comprised of 21 patients with lesions less than 2 cm in diameter, of which 83% presented in the last two years. Group B comprised of 30 patients with lesions measuring 2-4 cm, of which 43% presented in the last two years. Group C included 7 patients with lesions greater than 4 cm in size, of which 14% presented in the corresponding period. The relative increase in the number of patients in Group A and decrease in Group C over the years is a direct reflection of heightened clinical awareness and increased usage of magnetic resonance imaging for diagnosis. Complete surgical excision was achieved in 20/21 patients in Group A and 4/7 patients in Group C, with an overall complete excision rate of 81%. The overall facial nerve preservation rate was 81% of which 20/21 patients were in Group A, 23/30 in Group B and 4/7 in Group C. The surgical morbidity ranged from 10% in Group A to 28% in Group C. There were no deaths in Group A compared to two each in Group B and Group C. This emphasises the importance of early detection and treatment of acoustic neuromas when they are small.
authors.affiliation: National Centre for Neurosurgery, Department of Neuroradiology and Otolaryngology, Beaumont Hospital, Ireland.
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Are
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Eljamel
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: McConachie
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Viani
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rawluk
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome