Deafness/Tinnitus Secondary to Vestibular (Acoustic) Schwannoma
OBJECTIVES
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To highlight the importance of a detailed evaluation of tinnitus and hearing loss.
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To discuss the clinical manifestations of vestibular schwannomas.
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To illustrate other etiologies of the cerebellopontine angle syndrome.
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To analyze potential management strategies for vestibular schwannomas.
VIGNETTE
A 57-year-old man was evaluated because of a 3- to 4-month history of progressive unilateral right hearing loss and right ear tinnitus.
CASE SUMMARY |
Our patient had progressive unilateral sensorineural hearing loss and subjective non-pulsatile tinnitus. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated a small enhancing mass within the right internal auditory canal (IAC) consistent with a small right vestibular schwannoma. Vestibular schwannomas arise in the IAC in the cerebellopontine angle. Commonly but improperly called “acoustic neuromas,” these tumors originate from the vestibular Schwann cells of CN VIII (cochleovestibular nerve) in the IAC at the glial-Schwann cell junction.
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