Acoustic Neuroma Presenting as Sudden Hearing Loss

Abstract

Of the 84 patients with acoustic neuroma treated at our hospital from 1976 to 1989, 12 (14. 3%), 6 males and 6 females, complained of sudden hearing loss as the initial symptom. Their ages ranged from 28 to 73 years with a mean of 46. 9 years. Eight neuromas were on the right side and four on the left. Five tumors were classified as small (up to 1. 0 cm), three as medium (1. 0~3. 0cm) and four as large (3. 0 cm or more). There was no relationship among the incidence of sudden hearing loss, size of the tumor, and the nerve of origin. There was also no relationship between the audiometric findings and the size of the tumor. In six patients changes in hearing were documented by repeated audiometric studies before and after treatment of the initial sudden hearing loss. The hearing levels showed great variation and fluctuation in the majority of these patients. Fluctuation in hearing is an important finding after treatment of patients with acoustic tumor. © 1990, The Society of Practical Otolaryngology. All rights reserved.