Cerebellopontine angle tumor presenting as acute audiovestibular syndrome.

BACKGROUND

Acute audiovestibular deficits may be a harbinger of vestibular schwannoma (VS).

OBJECTIVE

To investigate clinical and laboratory features of 25 consecutive patients with VS presenting with acute audiovestibular deficits.

METHODS

A symptomatic combination of acute audiovestibular deficits was investigated. Audiometric and vestibular function tests, and internal auditory canal magnetic resonance imaging (IAC MRI) results were evaluated.

RESULTS

Varying combinations of symptoms may develop in VS patients with acute audiovestibular deficits, of whom sudden hearing loss (HL) without acute vertigo or acute facial nerve palsy (FNP) was most common. The most common audiometric configuration was high-tone hearing loss, and no patient showed low-tone hearing loss. IAC MRI demonstrated that the tumor had an intracanalicular portion and attachment to the bony IAC wall in all patients and widened the IAC wall in some patients.

CONCLUSION

Different symptomatic combinations of acute audiovestibular deficits may develop in patients with VS. Awareness about the possibility of VS as a cause of sudden HL, acute vertigo, and acute FNP, as well as subsequent IAC MRI scanning is vital to earlier diagnosis of VS in these patients.