Neurotological Complications After Radiosurgery Versus Conservative Management in Acoustic Neuromas: A Systematic Review-based Study

• Published in: Acta oto-laryngologica Vol. 123; no. 1; pp. 59 - 64
• Main Authors: Shin, Young Je, Lapeyre-mestre, Maryse, Gafsi, Inthidar, Cognard, Christophe, Deguine, Olivier, Tremoulet, Michel, Fraysse, Bernard
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Stockholm Informa UK Ltd 2003; Taylor & Francis; Taylor and Francis
• Subjects: Acoustic Neuroma; Biological and medical sciences; Conservative Management; Ear, auditive nerve, cochleovestibular tract, facial nerve: diseases, semeiology; Facial Neuralgia; Facial Neuralgia - etiology; Facial Palsy; Facial Paralysis - etiology; Gamma-knife Surgery; Head and neck surgery. Maxillofacial surgery. Dental surgery. Orthodontics; Hearing Loss; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural - etiology; Humans; Hydrocephalus; Hydrocephalus - etiology; Medical sciences; Microsurgery; Neuroma, Acoustic - surgery; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Postoperative Complications - etiology; Radiosurgery; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the ear, the auditive nerve and the facial nerve; Tumors; Human; Postoperative; Nervous system diseases; Prognosis; Neurinoma; Radiosurgery; Nervous system; Auditory nerve; Cranial nerve disease; Treatment; Surgery; Cohort study; Microsurgery; Observation; ENT disease; Complication; Benign neoplasm; Lesion; Comparative study; Bibliographic review
• ISSN: 0001-6489; 1651-2251
• DOI: 10.1081/0036554021000028084

Objective--Treatment modalities for acoustic neuroma (AN) include surgery, observation and gamma-knife surgery. The aim of this study was to compare neurotological complications resulting from two treatment alternatives to microsurgery: radiosurgery and observation. Material and methods--We conducted a systematic review of the literature dealing with radiosurgery for AN and compared the rate of neurotological complications in this population with that in a cohort of patients managed conservatively. Results--We found that neurotological complications, namely facial hypoesthesia (p=0.002), hearing loss (p<0.05) and hydrocephalus (p=0.02), were more frequently encountered after radiosurgery than with conservative management. In contrast, we found that the risk of growth of AN is significantly higher with conservative management and that the rate of stability of the tumor did not differ significantly between the two treatments. Conclusion--We prefer a conservative management regimen for patients who cannot be operated on for their AN. However, there are some difficulties inherent in this conservative management policy, namely non-compliance and difficulties in establishing the evolution of the tumor.