[The experience with the surgical treatment of glomus tumours].

INTRODUCTION

glomus tumours of the temporal bones rank second after neurinomas of the VII-th pair of cranial nerves among the pathological conditions that are likely to cause hearing mpairment. Being extensively vascularized locally invasive neoplasms, glomus tumours constitute a serious challenge for the surgeon because of their localization in the vicinity of the vitally important vascular and neural structures of the lateral skull base.

AIM: To characterize some peculiar features of the surgical interventions and postoperative management of the patients presenting with different types of glomus tumours.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

our experience is based on the surgical treatment of 15 patients with glomus tumours of the temporal bones of varying extent and localization.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: It is concluded that the magnitude and extent of the surgical intervention and of the follow-up examination depend on the spread of the neoplasm. The treatment of the B, S, D - type tumours implies the necessity of pre-operative embolization of the vessels feeding the neoplasm.