Pediatric cerebellopontine angle and internal auditory canal tumors: clinical article.

Object: The aim in this study was to describe the clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, and risk for neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2) in pediatric patients presenting with cerebellopontine angle (CPA) and internal auditory canal (IAC) tumors.

Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective study at a tertiary care academic referral center. All patients with an age ≤ 18 years who had presented with an extraaxial CPA or IAC tumor between 1987 and 2012 were included in the study cohort.

Use of supramaximal stimulation to predict facial nerve outcomes following vestibular schwannoma microsurgery: results from a decade of experience.

Object: The goal of vestibular schwannoma surgery is tumor removal and preservation of neural function. Intraoperative facial nerve (FN) monitoring has emerged as the standard of care, but its role in predicting long-term facial function remains a matter of debate. The present report seeks to describe and critically assess the value of applying current at supramaximal levels in an effort to identify patients destined for permanent facial paralysis.

The anatomically intact but electrically unresponsive facial nerve in vestibular schwannoma surgery.

Background: Permanent facial nerve (FN) paresis after vestibular schwannoma surgery is distressing to both the patient and surgeon. Intraoperative electrophysiological testing has proven invaluable in reducing the incidence of FN injury and may assist in prognosticating long-term function.

Objective: To report definitive FN outcomes among a cohort of patients with an unevokable but anatomically intact seventh nerve after microsurgical vestibular schwannoma resection.

Closure of scalp and forehead defects using external tissue expander.

Objective: To describe the novel use of an external tissue expander in the reconstruction of scalp and forehead defects.

Methods: A prospective review was performed on 7 patients who underwent extirpation of head and neck malignant neoplasms resulting in scalp and forehead defects. Reconstruction was performed using an external tissue expander device.

Inhibition of MEK pathway in vestibular schwannoma cell culture.

Objectives/hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Ras GTPase (Ras) to extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway in vestibular schwannoma (VS) cell cultures and patient excised schwannoma tumors. Mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor CI-1040 (PD184352) was utilized to evaluate the effect of specific MEK inhibition on benign schwannoma cell culture proliferation and apoptosis.

Study Design: Prospective evaluation of human schwannoma cell lines and tumors.

Auditory and vestibular symptoms and chronic subjective dizziness in patients with Ménière's disease, vestibular migraine, and Ménière's disease with concomitant vestibular migraine.

Objective: To compare presentations of Ménière's disease (MD), vestibular migraine (VM), and Ménière's disease plus vestibular migraine (MDVM), with and without comorbid chronic subjective dizziness (CSD).

Study Design: Retrospective review with diagnosis confirmed by consensus conference of investigators using published criteria for MD, VM, and CSD.

Setting: Ambulatory, tertiary dizziness clinic.

Nodular enhancement within the internal auditory canal following retrosigmoid vestibular schwannoma resection: a unique radiological pattern.

Object: The authors describe the unique occurrence of nodular enhancement within the fundus of the internal auditory canal (IAC) lateral to the preoperative radiological tumor margin following gross-total vestibular schwannoma (VS) resection.

Methods: The nature of the study was a retrospective chart review of records. The authors reviewed the cases of all patients who underwent microsurgical resection of a VS between January 2000 and January 2010 at a single tertiary referral center.

Radiation-induced sarcoma in a large vestibular schwannoma following stereotactic radiosurgery: case report.

Background And Importance: Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has been employed with increasing frequency in the treatment of benign intracranial tumors. While the risk for radiation-induced malignancy has been well studied for fractionated external beam radiation, reports of SRS-associated malignancy have only begun to emerge over the past 10 years.

Clinical Presentation: We present a case of a rapidly enlarging, presumed sporadic vestibular schwannoma in a 51-year-old man treated with SRS.