Hearing preservation in acoustic neuroma surgery: importance of adhesion between the cochlear nerve and the tumor.

Object: To evaluate the possible prognostic factors for hearing preservation, the authors retrospectively reviewed the results of 30 consecutive acoustic neuroma operations in which hearing preservation was attempted, in a total series of 63 acoustic neuromas.

Methods: Intracanalicular tumors or those that extended less than 3 mm outside the porus acusticus (10 cases) were resected via the middle fossa approach. The retrosigmoid approach was used for tumors exceeding the limits for the middle fossa approach (20 cases).