Acoustic Neuroma, also called Vestibular Schwannoma, is a slow-growing, non-cancerous tumor on the vestibulocochlear nerve, which affects balance and hearing.
Symptoms:
The symptoms may worsen as the tumor size increases.
Gradual hearing loss in one ear.
Ringing or buzzing sounds (tinnitus) in one ear.
Facial numbness, weakness, or tingling.
Unsteadiness or balance problems.
Rarely, changes in taste, swallowing difficulties, or voice changes in advanced cases.
Diagnosis:
Audiometry: Detects hearing loss
Videonystagmography (VNG): Identifies involuntary eye movements caused by nerve compression.
Brain MRI with Contrast: The gold standard for detecting tumors as small as 1-2 mm.
Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR): Measures sound transmission through the auditory system.
Treatment:
Monitoring: Small, slow-growing tumors may only require regular MRIs.
Surgery: Techniques include:
Translabyrinthine Approach: For larger tumors, it results in permanent hearing loss but protects facial nerves.
Retrosigmoid Approach: Preserves hearing; used for all tumor sizes.
Middle Fossa Approach: Ideal for tiny tumors.
Endoscopic Resection: Minimally invasive but requires advanced training and equipment.
Radiation: Non-invasive options like Stereotactic Radiosurgery, IMRT, or IGRT shrink tumors while minimizing damage to nearby tissues.
