Abstract
Intracochlear schwannomas can occur either as an extension of a larger tumor from the internal auditory canal, or as a solitary labyrinthine tumor. They are currently removed via a translabyrinthine approach extended to the basal turn, adding a transotic approach for tumors lying beyond the basal turn. Facial bridge cochleostomy may be associated with the translabyrinthine approach to enable the whole cochlea to be approached without sacrificing the external auditory canal and tympanum. We describe seven cases, five of which underwent cochlear schwannoma resection with facial bridge cochleostomy, one case with the same procedure for a suspect tumor and one, previously subjected to radical tympanomastoidectomy, who underwent schwannoma resection via a transotic approach. Facial bridge cochleostomy involved removing the bone between the labyrinthine and tympanic portions of the fallopian canal, and exposing the cochlea from the basal to the apical turn. Patients’ recovery was uneventful, and long-term magnetic resonance imaging showed no residual tumor. Facial bridge cochleostomy can be a flexible extension of the translabyrinthine approach for tumors extending from the internal auditory canal to the cochlea. The transcanal approach is suitable for the primary exclusive intralabyrinthine tumor. The indications for the different approaches are discussed.
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Acknowledgements
Artwork by C. Faccioli. The authors thank Frances Coburn for revising the English version of the manuscript. No external funding was received for this manuscript.
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The authors have no potential conflicts of interest or financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose. No support from any organization was provided for the submitted work.
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A. Mazzoni and E. Zanoletti contributed equally to this work.
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Mazzoni, A., Zanoletti, E., Faccioli, C. et al. Acoustic schwannoma with intracochlear extension and primary intracochlear schwannoma: removal through translabyrinthine approach with facial bridge cochleostomy and transcanal approach. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 274, 2149–2154 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-017-4501-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-017-4501-3