Long-term control of vestibular schwannoma after a translabyrinthine complete removal.

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to determine the rate of recurrent vestibular schwannoma after a total removal via the translabyrinthine approach.

PATIENTS: Between 1973 and 1995, 346 patients were operated on by a translabyrinthine approach. Ninety-one patients were included in a retrospective study for follow-up of 5 years or longer.

RESULTS

The mean follow-up period for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination was obtained after mean of 11 years in 91 patients. None of the 91 patients experienced a recurrent vestibular schwannoma on MRI.

CONCLUSION

The translabyrinthine approach is a safe procedure for total definitive removal of a vestibular schwannoma and permitted the absence of tumoral recurrence in our series of 91 patients. A single gadolinium-enhanced MRI scan 5 years after surgery is advised in case of total removal. In case of any doubt about the quality of the tumoral removal, a proposed MRI follow-up schedule within 2 years and 5 years of surgery is an initial baseline pattern, and possibly thereafter repeated MRI examinations on clinical grounds.