title: Change in tinnitus after acoustic neuroma removal using a translabyrinthine approach. A Prospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tinnitus is one of the primary symptoms of vestibular schwannoma (VS) and the effect of surgery is unpredictable.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a prospective study of the patients who underwent a translabyrinthine approach for the treatment of their VS (2009-2013) at our Hospital. Patients answered the Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) questionnaire pre- and postoperatively. The clinical charts provided data such as age, gender, tumour size, preoperative audiometry and postoperative facial function.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 39 patients. Of these, 71.8% suffered from tinnitus: 50% grade I, 17.9% grade II, 10.7% grade III, 21.4% grade IV and 0% grade V. We found no statistical association between tinnitus and the different variables measured preoperatively. Postoperatively, 48.7% of the patients suffered from tinnitus: 31.6% grade I, 36.8% grade II, 10.5% grade III, 15.8% grade IV and 5.3% grade V. The difference between mean pre- and postoperative THI was statistically significant (P=.011); this difference was greater in younger patients. We have found a significant negative correlation (r=-0.335; P=.037) between preoperative audiometry and postoperative THI.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We did not find any significant association between tinnitus and age, gender, tumour size and postoperative facial function. Translabyrinthine surgical removal of VS in these patients led to better THI results, with the younger patients having better outcomes. The patients with poorest preoperative audition were the ones that had the best results in the postoperative THI questionnaire.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Universitario Donostia, San Sebastián, España.
authors.forename: Leire
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Universitario Donostia, San Sebastián, España.
authors.forename: Ane
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ugarte
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Universitario Donostia, San Sebastián, España.
authors.forename: Miren
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goiburu
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Epidemiología e Investigación Clínica, Hospital Universitario Donostia, San Sebastián, España.
authors.forename: Iratxe
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Urreta Barallobre
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Otorrinolaringología, Hospital Universitario Donostia, San Sebastián, España. Electronic address: xaltuna@osakidetza.net.
authors.forename: Xabier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Altuna
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D007758:Ear, Inner; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery*; D013506:Otologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000209:etiology*
keywords: Acoustic neuroma; Cirugía; Neurinoma del acústico; Surgery; Tinnitus