전정신경초종과 청력손상

Vestibular schwannoma and hearing loss

Vestibular schwannomas (VSs) are the most common tumors of the cerebellopontine angle. Although VSs arise from the vestibular nerves, 95% of patients with VS present with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). The underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of this SNHL are currently unknown. Better understanding of the possible etiologies of hearing loss will help in guiding VS treatment choices based on tumor size and location. The mechanical effect is thought to involve compression or stretching of the cochlear nerve or compromise of the vascular supply to the cochlea and neurotoxic injury caused either by alterations in the biochemical properties of the inner ear fluid or through accumulation of tumor toxic metabolites may be responsible for hearing loss of VS. We review some of these mechanisms with special emphasis on hearing loss associated with VS.