title: Intracranial lipomas affecting the cerebellopontine angle and internal auditory canal: a case series.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the long-term outcome of lipomas affecting the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) and internal auditory canal (IAC).
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective, single-center study of 10 CPA and IAC lipomas that have presented for the last 6 years. There were 8 male and 2 female patients whose age ranged from 22 to 71 years. These lesions were distributed equally between left and right sides.
  
  
  METHODS
  The natural progression, audiovestibular signs and symptoms, imaging characteristics, and management options have been evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Long-term clinical outcome was correlated with serial imaging and audiograms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common presenting feature was hearing loss with an average lesion size of 8 mm. Two patients experienced imbalance, with one requiring operative intervention for incapacitating vertigo. The other 9 were managed conservatively. Follow-up imaging was available for 8 cases, and no growth was observed in any of these, with an average follow-up of 3.5 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Because of the resolution of modern imaging, lipomas of the IAC and CPA are increasingly being recognized and accurately diagnosed. Our data suggest that these lesions are more common than previously thought, representing approximately 1% of all lesions in this location referred to our center. With the absence of growth in 8 cases with follow-up average of 3.5 years as our basis, we recommend that these lesions are managed conservatively by serial imaging. In rare cases, surgery may be required if the lesion is resulting in incapacitating symptoms, such as significant balance disturbance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otology, Neurotology and Skull Base Surgery, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, University Hospital Birmingham, United Kingdom. payalmukherjee@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Payal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.forename: Ian
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Street
authors.forename: Richard M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Irving
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002530:Cerebellopontine Angle / Q000473:pathology*; D004428:Ear Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008067:Lipoma / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012000:Recruitment Detection, Audiologic; D012189:Retrospective Studies