Prospective evaluation of the clinical profile and referral pattern differences of vestibular schwannomas and other cerebellopontine angle tumors.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical profile, referral pattern, delay in diagnosis, and impact of tumor size of cases involving vestibular schwannomas (VS) versus other cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumors in an Egyptian population.


METHODS
Case series study.


METHODS
Tertiary referral center.


METHODS
A prospective study of possible retrocochlear lesions was conducted from 2008 to 2010.


METHODS
Patients were subjected to a full clinical history, complete otorhinolaryngological examination, a basic audiologic evaluation, auditory brainstem response assay, and gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. According to the findings of magnetic resonance imaging, patients with retrocochlear lesions were divided into 2 groups: those with VS (n = 17) and those with other CPA lesions (n = 14).


METHODS
Diagnostic delay and criteria of VS and CPA tumors.


RESULTS
Unilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were presented in 52.9% of VS cases with a diagnostic delay of 15.5 months. For cases involving other CPA lesions, a combination of otologic symptoms was observed in 9 (64%) of 14 cases, and a diagnostic delay of 47.5 months was experienced. An absence of auditory brainstem response waves was identified significantly (p < 0.05) for the affected ears of both groups. Only differences in Wave V latency were significant between the 2 groups (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
A longer diagnostic delay was associated with cases involving other types of CPA lesions versus cases of VS, and tumor size and volume did not affect the diagnostic delay of the former. Moreover, the only significant difference in clinical presentation for these 2 groups of intracranial tumor involved Wave V latency.
ORL Department, Menoufia University Hospital, Shibin Elkom, Egypt. ahmedragab2000@hotmail.com
Ahmed
A
Ragab
Afaf
A
Emara
Maged
M
Shouker
Osama
O
Ebied
D000328:Adult; D001299:Audiometry; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002530:Cerebellopontine Angle / Q000473:pathology; D016208:Databases, Factual; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014717:Vertigo / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology