Please remember that this is general information and is meant as a guide. All diagnoses and treatment options should be discussed in full with a qualified clinician.
Acoustic neuromas are benign tumours which tend to grow only very slowly and sometimes not at all. They arise mainly from the vestibular portion of the VIIIth cranial nerve and hence are also sometimes called vestibular schwannomas. The VIIIth cranial nerve is involved in hearing and balance and a common symptom of this tumour is gradual hearing loss.
Acoustic neuromas can present with the following symptoms:
The main reasons for treatment are:
Surgery usually results in loss of hearing and can also cause facial nerve damage, leading to a weakness of the affected side of the face. Other nerves are sometimes also affected. Outcome for surgery depends largely on the size of the tumour.
Microsurgery is indicated in patients with large tumours or where significant mass effect, such as brain stem compression, is present. Some patients may elect to undergo microsurgery in preference to gamma knife treatment.
Acoustic neuromas are generally well-controlled with gamma knife treatment. The aim is to prevent tumour growth and gamma knife is particularly suited to patients who have tumours up to 3cm in diameter and who have retained useful hearing. Control rates are often quoted at exceeding 90 per cent. Facial nerve damage is less than 1 per cent.