title: A pilot with an intravestibular schwannoma: to fly or not to fly?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report on the professional repercussions of an intravestibular schwannoma in a commercial airline pilot.
  
  
  METHODS
  The case of a single patient with a unilateral intravestibular schwannoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Return to a flying status with specific restrictions and under tight conditions depending on the outcomes of a mandatory periodic watch-and-rescan policy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive magnetic resonance imaging results coupled to the clinical otovestibular status of the patient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 16 uneventful months of flying, the pilot was grounded after a first episode of vertigo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of an intravestibular schwannoma-as one of the rarest intralabyrinthine schwannomas-and a pilot-for whom proper otovestibular functioning is of the uppermost importance-challenges the responsibilities of all involved. Depending on the clinical circumstances and under tight conditions with specific restrictions, a return to a flying status can very exceptionally be considered. An open discussion and the establishment of a relation of mutual trust are felt to be an absolute prerequisite.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, UZ Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel. frans.gordts@uzbrussel.be
authors.forename: Frans
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gordts
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Der Veken
authors.forename: Vedat
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Topsakal
authors.forename: Koenraad
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nieboer
authors.forename: Thérèse
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Buisseret
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: De Foer
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Casselman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001300:Audiometry, Evoked Response; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001359:Aviation; D004487:Edema / Q000473:pathology; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007759:Labyrinth Diseases / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D013067:Speech Perception; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000150:complications