Quality of life after vestibular schwannoma surgery: does hearing preservation make a difference?
OBJECTIVE
Surgery for vestibular schwannoma may reduce patients' quality of life, but the effect of hearing preservation on this process is not fully understood. Our aim was to determine whether hearing preservation makes a difference to patients' quality of life in this clinical setting.


METHODS
Retrospective questionnaire and cross-sectional survey.


METHODS
The study included 104 consecutive patients who had undergone surgery for vestibular schwannoma between 1998 and 2004. Surgery was via a middle cranial fossa route in 24 patients and a translabyrinthine route in 79. Quality of life was assessed using the SF-36 questionnaire and the Glasgow Benefit Inventory.


RESULTS
Quality of life was reduced in both patient groups, with a mean Glasgow Benefit Inventory score of -7.5 (confidence interval (CI) -13 to -2.5) in the translabyrinthine patients and -4 (confidence interval -13.5 to 5.5) in the middle fossa patients. The SF-36 scores did not show any statistically significant difference between the two groups, except for social function (p = 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Surgery for vestibular schwannoma reduces patients' quality of life, and the preservation of hearing, achieved by using a middle fossa surgical approach, does not significantly alter this result.
Iyer
A P
AP
Department of Otolaryngology, Auckland City Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand. arunachalamps@hotmail.com
Gunn
R
R
Sillars
H
H
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006311:Hearing Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000601:surgery*; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires