There are conflicting studies on the association between acoustic neuromas and cellular phone use and repeated exposure to loud noise. In 2011, an arm of the World Health Organization released a statement listing cell phone use as a low grade cancer risk. The Acoustic Neuroma Association recommends that cell phone users use a hands-free device. Meningiomas are significantly more common in women than in men; they are most common in middle-aged women. Two predisposing factors associated with meningiomas for which at least some evidence exists are exposure to ionizing radiation (cancer treatment of brain tumors) and hormone replacement therapy. Pathophysiology
Various kinds of tumors, usually primary and benign, are represented in the pathology. Lesions in the area of cerebellopontine angle cause signs and symptoms secondary to compression of nearby cranial nerves, including cranial nerve V (trigeminal), cranial nerve VII (facial), and cranial nerve VIII (vestibulocochlear). The most common cerebellopontine angle (CPA) tumor is a vestibular schwannoma affecting cranial nerve VIII (80%), followed by meningioma (10%).
Surgical
There are three modalities of surgical treatment (excision) depending on where the anatomical location of the incision to access the tumor is made: retrosigmoid (a variant of what was formerly called suboccipital), translabyrinthine, and middle fossa. The goals of surgery are to control the tumor, and preserve hearing as well as facial nerves. Especially in the case of larger tumors, there may be a tradeoff between tumor removal and preservation of nerve functionality. There are different defined degrees of surgical excision, termed subtotal resection, radical subtotal resection, near-total resection, and total resection in order or increasing proportion of tumor removed. Lesser amount of tumor removal may increase likelihood of preservation of nerve function (hence better post-operative hearing), but also likelihood of tumor regrowth, necessitating additional treatment. Outcome and complications
The overall complication rate following surgery is around 20%; cerebrospinal fluid leak is the most common. See also
Cerebellum
Pons

References


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