title: [Linear accelerator radiosurgery for the treatment of vestibular schwannoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Radiosurgery is among the treatment options for patients with vestibular schwannoma. We present the experience in our institution in the treatment of this disease with this technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was made including 20 patients (11 women and 9 men; median age: 55.15 years-old) with vestibular schwannoma who received linear accelerator radiosurgery treatment since April 2005 until December 2008. Follow-up period was between 12 and 42 months, considering clinical examination of cranial nerves VII (House-Brackmann scale) and VIII (Gardner-Robertson scale) as well as radiological findings (considering tumor volume). For statistical analysis, the Fisher's exact test and logistic regression test were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Certain worsening of hearing function was present in 25% of the patients. Five patients had large tumors at the moment of the treatment (equal or larger than 3.5 cm3), from which four deteriorated from headache, unsteady gait, dizziness/vertigo, facial numbness and tinnitus, with statistical significance (p < 0.05). From the first year of treatment on, there was a tumor volume decrease tendency, with no tumor growth in the medium/long term follow-up, achieving a local control rate of 100%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Radiosurgery has become an alternative in the treatment of patients with vestibular schwannoma of appropriate size, with high safety level, using low radiation doses, low rate of complications and good tumor control rate in the medium term follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurocirugia, Consorcio Hospital General Universitario de Valencia. Avda. Tres Cruces, 2. E-46014 Valencia, Espana. ruben.rod@gmail.com
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodriguez-Mena
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Gallego-Sanchez
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Gonzalez-Bonet
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Goig-Revert
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barcia-Marino
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rosello-Ferrando
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000159:Vestibulocochlear Nerve / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery