title: Tinnitus and quality of life following vestibular schwannoma surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study on patients undergoing surgery for vestibular schwannoma investigated tumour (i) the effect of pre-operative factors on tinnitus, (ii) the effect of translabyrinthine or hearing preservation surgical approaches on tinnitus, and (iii) the effect of postoperative tinnitus status on the patient's quality of life (QOL).
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-nine patients who underwent vestibular schwannoma (VS) excision between 2001 and 2005 were selected. Postoperative tinnitus status was evaluated using a standard questionnaire for tinnitus, and QOL was measured using the Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 58% of patients noted tinnitus before tumour removal. Pre-operative tinnitus was not associated with age, gender, tumour size, or hearing thresholds. The total percentage of patients suffering postoperative tinnitus was 64%. Hearing preservation approaches showed no difference in terms of changes in tinnitus compared to the translabyrinthine approach. Twenty-one patients (30%) reported better QOL, 40 patients (56%) reported worse QOL, and 10 patients (14%) reported the same QOL. A significant association was found between tinnitus worsening as measured by GBI score and QOL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most patients do not report significant changes in their tinnitus status after surgery. Tinnitus evolution is unpredictable and not related to the type of surgical approach. Thus, tinnitus should not be used as a criterion for selecting the surgical approach. Tinnitus worsening appears to influence QOL following surgery for VS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, La Paz University Hospital, Idipaz Research Institute, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Del Río
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lassaletta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Díaz-Anadón
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alfonso
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Roda
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gavilán
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000601:surgery*; D013506:Otologic Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult