Functional Results of Internal Auditory Canal Decompression in NF2 Patients

Objective: To evaluate early and 1-year hearing results of internal auditory canal decompression through the middle cranial fossa approach in NF2 patients with only hearing ear. Material and Methods: A total of 22 patients were included in this retrospective study. All patients suffered from NF type 2; they presented unilateral deafness (due to VS removal in 19 patients and due to controlateral tumor in 3 cases) and deterioration of the hearing in the controlateral ear (sudden neurosensorial hearing loss, fluctuating or progressive hearing loss). There were 15 males and 7 females. Mean age was 33 ± 10.7 years (range, 19-66 years). Hearing level was of class A (AAO-HNS) in 11 cases, B in 6 cases, C in 3 cases, and D in 2 cases. All patients were operated via middle cranial fossa approach. Early PTA and SDR 6 days and 1 year after operation were performed. Results: Surgeries were uneventful. Two patients experienced transient facial nerve palsy grade II. One patient was reoperated 5 days after first surgery for CSF leak. In the early postoperative period all patients maintained the hearing class of the preoperative period. At 1-year follow-up (n = 14) 10 patients maintained their hearing scores, 1 patient got worse from class B to class C, 1 patient from class A to class C. One patient improved from class D to class C. Conclusions: Decompression of IAC in only one ear is a safe and effective procedure for hearing preservation in NF2 patients with very low morbidity.