Cochlear Implantation After Partial or Subtotal Cochleoectomy for Intracochlear Schwannoma Removal—A Technical Report

OBJECTIVE: To describe the technique for surgical tumor removal, cochlear implant (CI) electrode placement and reconstruction of the surgical defect in patients with intracochlear schwannomas. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case review. SETTING: Tertiary referral center. PATIENTS: Ten patients (five men, five women, mean age 48 ± 12 yr) with profound or severe to profound hearing loss due to intralabyrinthine schwannomas with intracochlear location. INTERVENTIONS: Surgical tumor removal through extended round window approach, partial or subtotal cochleoectomy with or without labyrinthectomy and reconstruction of the surgical defect with cartilage, perichondrium or temporal muscle fascia, and bone pâté. Eight patients received a cochlear implant in the same procedure. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Retrospective evaluation of clinical outcome including safety aspects (adverse events) and audiological performance at early follow up in cases of cochlear implantation. RESULTS: The tumor was successfully removed in all cases without macroscopic (operation microscope and endoscope) tumor remnants in the bony labyrinth apart from one case with initial transmodiolar growth. One patient needed revision surgery for labyrinthine fistula. At short-term follow up (3-month post-surgery), good hearing results with the cochlear implant were obtained in all but one patient with a word recognition score of 100% for numbers, and 64 ± 14% for monosyllables (at 65 dB SPL in quiet). CONCLUSIONS: Surgical tumor removal and cochlear implantation is a promising treatment strategy in the management of intralabyrinthine schwannoma with intracochlear location, further extending the indication range for cochlear implantation. It is, however, of importance to observe the long-term outcome in these patients and to address challenges like follow up with magnetic resonance imaging.