Surgical Management of a Cerebellopontine Angle Tumor After Sudden Onset Facial Paralysis

Patients with cerebellopontine angle tumors rarely experience acute facial weakness. In this report, we summarize a case where immediate tumor decompression after a patient presented with sudden ipsilateral flaccid facial palsy resulted in complete recovery of facial nerve function, followed by staged gross total tumor resection. Return of facial nerve function was predicted by intraoperative facial cortico-bulbar motor evoked potentials, a relatively recent innovation in real-time nerve monitoring.