title: Some uncharacteristic clinical signs and symptoms of acoustic neuroma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The most common initial symptoms of the acoustic neuroma are unilateral hearing loss that evolves gradually, tinnitus, and unsteadiness. However, atypical presentations may sometimes occur, more often with a small intracanalicular neuroma or with a large medial neuroma placed in the cerebellopontine angle.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In our group of 51 patients suffering from acoustic neuroma, atypical presentations were observed in 9 cases (17.6%). Two patients had normal hearing function but reported tinnitus; two patients reported sudden hearing loss, with partial recovery; two patients had a history of fluctuating hearing loss; two patients reported neurologic symptoms (one reported trigeminal paresthesia and the other had a history of trigeminal paresthesia and recurrent headache); and one patient reported profound hearing loss for many years and the recent onset of unsteadiness.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with these atypical presentations have to undergo a diagnostic evaluation for acoustic neuroma and must be evaluated with BAEPs and then with gadolinium-enhanced MRI.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Otorinolaringoiatrica dell'Universitá di Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berrettini
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ravecca
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bruschini
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sellari-Franceschini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001299:Audiometry; D003389:Cranial Nerve Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000209:etiology*; D006313:Hearing Loss, Central / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000209:etiology*; D014276:Trigeminal Nerve