Longitudinal assessment of quality of life and audiometric test outcomes in vestibular schwannoma patients treated with gamma knife surgery.

OBJECTIVE

To prospectively assess the quality of life (QOL) and hearing acuity in vestibular schwannoma (VS) patients after gamma knife surgery (GKS).

PATIENTS: Fifty-nine VS patients.

INTERVENTION: GKS.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prospective follow-up algorithm included 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), Hearing Handicap Inventory (HHI), Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), pure-tone average, and speech discrimination hearing scores (Gardner-Robertson and American Academy of Otolaryngology), performed before and after GKS at 1-, 3-, 6-, 12-, and 18-month posttreatment intervals.

RESULTS

From December 2006 to November 2008, 59 VS patients were treated with a median follow-up of 15 months. At baseline, mean scores for SF-36, HHI, DHI, and THI were 73, 37, 17, and 23, respectively. Median baseline Gardner-Robertson and American Academy of Otolaryngology hearing acuity scores were 2 and B, respectively. No significant decline in SF-36 health survey was noted after GKS. Mean SF-36 score at baseline was 73, compared with a range of 70 to 77 at predetermined posttreatment intervals. Similarly, no significant changes in DHI, HHI, and THI were noted. Approximately 47% of patients with baseline serviceable hearing maintained serviceable hearing at 12 months. Significant acute and chronic worsening in hearing acuity were noted at 1 and 18 months, respectively. No correlative decline in QOL was noted as assessed by SF-36 or HHI.

CONCLUSION

No significant decline in global QOL occurred after GKS with relatively short follow-up and approximately 50% survey completion. When discussing therapy options with VS patients, anticipated treatment-related QOL outcomes should be considered.