title: Near-total removal of facial nerve schwannomas: long-term outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aimed to present long-term outcomes of near-total removal of facial nerve schwannomas (FNS) with good facial nerve function (HB Grade III or better).
  
  
  METHODS
  We successfully performed near-total removal of FNS (tumor removal of 95% or greater) on 13 cases, and the remaining 6 cases who failed underwent total tumor removal and nerve grafting. Patients were divided into near-total removal group and total removal group according to surgical approach, and they were followed up for 7.38 ± 1.98 years (range, 5 to 11 years) and 6.66 ± 1.63 years (range, 5 to 9 years), respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  12 of 13 cases (92.3%) in the near-total removal group successfully maintained at least Grade III except one who recurred and underwent complete tumor removal and nerve grafting, and 10 cases (76.9%) achieved Grade I or Grade II. 5 of 6 cases (83.3%) in the total removal group obtained Grade III, but none recovered to Grade I or II. Tumor growth was noted in only one case (7.7%) among the near-total removal group during the follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term outcomes of near-total removal of FNS were favorable, which may be a good choice for the old patients with good facial nerve function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Navy General Hospital, Beijing 100048, P.R.C.
authors.forename: Dongdong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing 100039, P.R.C; Department of Otolaryngology, Navy General Hospital, Beijing 100048, P.R.C.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Peking University Health, Science Center, Beijing, P.R.C.
authors.forename: Yefeng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Navy General Hospital, Beijing 100048, P.R.C. Electronic address: qiaojl201501@163.com.
authors.forename: Jinlin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Qiao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003390:Cranial Nerve Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005155:Facial Nerve Diseases / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006309:Hearing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D020127:Recovery of Function; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult