title: Management of cerebellopontine angle lipomas: need for long-term radiologic surveillance?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To date, only a very limited number of lipomas of the cerebellopontine angle (CPA) have been reported. Our objective was to examine clinical and radiologic features of CPA lipomas and determine the most appropriate management plan.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with CPA lipomas were identified through the skull base multidisciplinary meeting database.
  
  
  METHODS
  Radiologic surveillance and clinical assessment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tumor growth, assessed through radiologic measurements on serial magnetic resonance imaging, demographics, presenting symptoms, and any correlation between weight gain and lipoma growth were among the examined factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 15 patients with CPA lipomas, six were female and nine were male, with an average age at presentation of 50.2 years (range, 31.7-76.4 yr) and an average follow-up time of 51.7 months (range, 6-216 mo). The lipomas were unilateral in all cases, nine on the right (60%) and six on the left (40%) side. None of the lipomas increased in size. All patients were treated conservatively. Sensorineural hearing loss was the main presenting symptom (80%) followed by tinnitus (46.7%) and vertigo (20%). None of the patients suffered from facial nerve dysfunction. There was no correlation between weight gain and tumor growth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CPA lipomas can be diagnosed accurately with appropriate magnetic resonance imaging techniques and be managed conservatively with safety. Cochleovestibular are the most common presenting symptoms, whereas facial nerve involvement is rare. CPA lipomas do not tend to grow and can be monitored on a less regular basis.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Otolaryngology, Skull Base Unit, †Department of Neuroradiology, and ‡Department of Neurosurgery, Skull Base Unit, Manchester Teaching Hospitals, Salford, U.K.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kontorinis
authors.forename: Simon R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Freeman
authors.forename: Gillian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Potter
authors.forename: Scott A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Rutherford
authors.forename: Rekha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Siripurapu
authors.forename: Andrew T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: King
authors.forename: Simon K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Lloyd
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002528:Cerebellar Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002530:Cerebellopontine Angle / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008067:Lipoma / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged