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Treatment of Small Vestibular Schwannomas

  • OTOLOGY: Vestibular Schwannomas (RA Friedman and M Schwartz, Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Otorhinolaryngology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Vestibular schwannomas (VS) are benign neoplasms that arise from the Schwann cells enveloping the vestibular division of the eighth cranial nerve. These tumors typically exhibit indolent growth and commonly cause audiovestibular dysfunction. If allowed to grow large enough, VS can cause brainstem compression and become fatal. Treatment options include observation with serial imaging, radiotherapy, and microsurgical resection. This review will summarize the literature regarding treatment outcomes for patients with small VS.

Recent Findings

Advances in diagnostic imaging have allowed for earlier and more frequent detection of small VS. Management of small VS remains controversial and is influenced by physician preference. Recent studies have summarized outcomes in small VS in conservative, radiosurgery, and microsurgery cohorts. Additional data on quality of life, volumetry, and morphometry allow for more informed decision-making in the treatment of small VS.

Summary

In this article, we review contemporary literature describing outcomes of each treatment modality, with emphasis on tumor control, facial nerve function, hearing preservation, and quality of life.

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References

Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA

    Kareem O. Tawfik

  2. Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, San Diego Medical Center, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Usman A. Khan

  3. Division of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of California, San Diego Medical Center, La Jolla, CA, USA

    Rick A. Friedman

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Tawfik, K.O., Khan, U.A. & Friedman, R.A. Treatment of Small Vestibular Schwannomas. Curr Otorhinolaryngol Rep 9, 139–154 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40136-020-00326-2

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