Decision making in vestibular schwannoma management

Decision making in vestibular schwannoma management
Alimohamad Asghari
Skull base research center, The five senses institute, Iran University of Medical
sciences, Tehran, Iran
Panelists: A. Eftekharian, M. Mohseni, S. Jahanbakhsh, P. Fadavi, A. Kouhi

Vestibular schwannomas (VS) comprise %8 of all intracranial tumors and %90 of cerebellopontine angle and internal auditory canal neoplasms. Secondary to the widespread adoption of screening protocols for asymmetrical hearing loss and the increasing use of advanced imaging, the number of VS diagnosed each year continues to rise, while the average size has declined. Microsurgery remains the treatment of choice for large tumors, however the management of small- to medium-sized VS remains highly controversial with options including observation, radiotherapy, or microsurgery. In this panel, we try to provide an overview of the contemporary
management of VS, reviewing important considerations and common controversies. Some cases will be discussed to find the best approach and review the controversies.