[Vascular compression syndrome of the vestibulocochlear nerve--otolaryngologic and radiologic diagnosis].

Vascular compression syndrome is the term used to classify a group of conditions though to be caused by the compression of cranial nerve by vessel. In the most cases the contact of vascular loop formed by the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) with the eight and facial nerve correlated with unilateral auditory symptoms or hemifacial spasms. The vascular compression syndrome of vestibulocochlear nerve in 8 patients treated in I ENT Clinic of Silesian Academy and MRI Department in Katowice was observed. All patients were otologic findings such as a tone audiometry, ENG, ABR and radiological diagnostics included MRI and angio MRI. The prospective analysis was performed. The results suggest that the unilateral sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, vestibular disorders and positive findings on magnetic resonance imaging are the most reliable evidence for the presence neurovascular compression syndrome of the eight cranial nerve. The MRI and otologic studies provided quite detailed information about topography of relationship between the blood vessels and cranial nerves in the crebellopontine cistern.