Acoustic Neuroma also called: Acoustic neurilemmoma Acoustic neurinoma Auditory tumor Vestibular schwannoma. An acoustic neuroma is a benign tumor that develops on the nerve that connects the ear to the brain. Acoustic neuromas grow from a type of cell called a Schwann cell. These cells cover nerve cells. This is why the tumour is also called a vestibular schwannoma. Acoustic neuromas tend to grow very slowly and they don't spread to distant parts of the body. Sometimes they are too small to cause any problems or symptoms. Bigger acoustic neuromas can interfere with the vestibulocochlear nerve.
Symptoms associated with acoustic neuromas largely depend on their size. Acoustic neuromas usually grow very slowly and as such symptoms tend to develop slowly. There may be periods where you experience no symptoms. As the neuroma grows you may develop hearing loss or tinnitus. In addition you may experience vertigo the feeling that the world is moving around you. If the neuroma grows quite large it can affect other nerves in the head resulting in facial numbness. Furthermore you may experience a loss in physical co-ordination and headaches. ou may experience signs and symptoms such as:
There are two types of acoustic neuroma: a sporadic form and a form associated with a syndrome called neurofibromatosis type II (NF2). NF2 is an inherited disorder characterized by the growth of noncancerous tumors in the nervous system. Acoustic neuromas are the most common of these tumors and often occur in both ears by age
Treatment of acoustic neuroma depends on your own health and the nature of the acoustic neuroma. If the neuroma is small and growing only slowly the best option may be to do nothing and closely monitor its development especially since many of the treatment options have significant risks associated with them.
Microsurgery may be considered to remove the neuroma. This involves being put to sleep with general anaesthetic making an incision in the skull and taking out the mass. Hearing is almost always lost immediately following the procedure and there may be additional damage to one of the nerves that runs next to the vestibulocochlear nerve. This nerve known as the ‘facial nerve’ controls muscles that allow facial movement and expression. Therefore damage to this nerve can result in a face droop on one side difficulty closing your eyelid on one side and drooling of saliva. In some people these issues get better. However in others they are permanent.
An alternative option in some patients is stereotactic radiosurgery. This involves giving a highly accurate dose of radiation to the neuroma. Though it does not get rid of the mass it can slow down its development. Following the procedure around 1 in 3 people will experience hearing loss and around 1 in 100 will experience facial paralysis.
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