title: Vestibular schwannoma in the only hearing ear: role of cochlear implants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to delineate the role of cochlear implantation in the management of vestibular schwannoma or other cerebellopontine angle tumors in the only hearing ear.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective analysis in a quaternary referral skull base center of all patients who were affected by vestibular schwannoma (or other lesions of the cerebellopontine angle) in the only hearing ear and received a cochlear implant before or after tumor treatment (surgery or radiotherapy) or during the wait-and-scan follow-up. We also performed a systematic review of the English-language literature.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The clinical and audiological results of 10 patients are reported. All patients were managed with contralateral cochlear implantation. In 7 patients, cochlear implantation was performed before tumor removal, while hearing in the ear with the tumor was still present. In 3 patients, the implant was placed after curative surgery. Nine of the 10 patients routinely use their implant with subjective benefit and fairly good auditory performance (median disyllabic word recognition, 90%; median sentence comprehension, 75%). The literature search retrieved no major series with assessment of the long-term efficacy of cochlear implantation in this rare clinical scenario.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients affected by vestibular schwannoma in their only hearing ear may significantly benefit from a cochlear implant on the contralateral side prior to tumor removal. Recent and significant hearing deterioration and tumor growth represent the main indications for cochlear implantation.
authors.affiliation: Gruppo Otologico Piacenza-Roma, Piacenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Di Lella
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Merkus
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Trapani
authors.forename: Abdelkader
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taibah
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guida
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanna
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D003054:Cochlear Implants; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006309:Hearing; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013067:Speech Perception; D016896:Treatment Outcome