Vestibular schwannoma

Vestibular schwannoma, sometimes also called acoustic neuroma, is a benign tumor that develops around the cranial nerve 8, also called the auditory vestibular nerve.

This is a tumor that in most cases grows very slowly, but at a certain stage, due to the pressure, it puts on this important nerve, symptoms requiring treatment might appear.

At the Neurosurgery center in the Herzliya medical center hospital, there are Vestibular schwannoma treatment experts who will find the best and most effective way to treat the tumor.

About Vestibular schwannoma tumors

• Vestibular schwannoma grows from the Schwann cells (hence its name), who grow among else around the auditory vestibular nerve and wrap it. The nerve itself leaves the brain stem and splits into the cochlea in the inner ear and into the balance system.
• When this tumor develops on the nerve dura, it might press various nerves around it.
• Since the tumor would mostly develop inside the inner ear canal, it will first press the auditory vestibular nerve, but if it develops and grows, it might also press nerves 7 and 5, in charge of touch sensation and movement of different facial parts.

The symptoms characterizing Vestibular schwannoma are:

• A sudden or gradual decrease in hearing capacity in one ear
• Tinnitus in one ear
• Dizziness and loss of balance – especially where there is a tendency towards one side of the body
• Headaches
• Loss of touch sensation or problem with moving different facial areas.

Vestibular schwannoma treatment:

Since this is a relatively very slowly developing tumor (sometimes taking years since it starts growing and until any symptoms develop), and due to the fact that this is a benign and not a malignant tumor, its presence doesn’t require immediate treatment.

In most cases, it will be decided to have regular monitoring of the tumor’s development, and if it doesn’t grow at all, surgery might not be needed. The surgical option will be weighed only in cases of a tumor of abnormal measurements (meaning diameter of several cms), or when clear and severe symptoms appear.

In Vestibular schwannoma resection surgeries, the surgeon will remove the tumor through a small hole he’ll make in the skull, close to the ear. In certain cases, he’ll decide on radiation treatments, without surgery or as an adjuvant procedure for the surgical one.

Suffering from significant hearing loss in one ear? Dealing with balance issues? You might have to have a Vestibular schwannoma resection.

For consultation and additional information, contact us at +972-9-959-4888 or  leave your details and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible