Profile of the surgery performed in the Unit

FAQs about acoustic neuromas

The Neurotology and Skull Base Surgery Unit is a tertiary referral centre for conditions of the:

• Ear

• Temporal bone (in the base of the skull containing the hearing and balance organs)

• Cerebellopontine angle (inside the head at the back)

• Skull base (the bones at the bottom of the head)

Acoustic neuromas (vestibular schwannomas)

The Unit has developed a specialised interest in the care and treatment of people who have acoustic neuromas including:

• The genetics of the condition

• The molecular biology of the lesion

• The clinical presentation of the lesion(s)

• Audiological management

• Surgical management.

Disorders of the skull base

All patients who have lesions of the skull base, including those who have malignant cancers of the temporal bone, are jointly assessed and managed by all the members of the team.

The main surgical procedures that are performed in the Unit include:

Otological surgery

• Stapedectomy (removal of the stapes, a bone in the middle ear)

• Tympanoplasty (repair of the tympanic membrane and/or the three small bones behind the ear drum)

• Middle ear and temporal bone cholesteatoma (layer upon layer of skin cells that can erode bone)

• Surgery to repair congenital and/or acquired defects of the tegmen (hole between the inside of the head and the ear)

• Removal and repair for tumours of the glomus jugulare (Fisch type A and B);

Neurotological and skull base surgery

• Surgical management of acoustic neuroma (also called vestibular schwannoma; frequently asked questions (FAQs) about acoustic neuromas)

• Surgery on the facial nerve

• Surgical management of microvascular compression syndromes (including hemifacial spasm and trigeminal neuralgia)

• Surgical management of malignant tumours of the middle ear and mastoid (the bone behind the ear)

• Treatment of Meniere's disease: including saccus endolymphaticus/mastoid shunt, treatment with gentamicin to the middle ear; section (cutting) of the vestibular (balance) nerve.

Skull base surgery

(a) Surgery of the posterior cranial fossa (part of the skull):

• Meningiomas (a type of tumour) of the cerebellopontine angle (a part of the brain);

• Cholesteatomas (a type of tumour) of the cerebellopontine angle;

• Tumours of the glomus jugulare (Fisch type C and D);

• Tumours of the facial nerve;

• Arachnoidal cysts (a vascular abnormality) of the cerebellopontine angle;

• Schwannomas (a type of tumour) of the lower cranial nerves;

• Unusual tumours of the cerebellopontine angle.

(b) Surgery of the anterior and/or middle cranial fossae (parts of the skull):

• Craniofacial resection (usually after an accident or cancer);

• Malignancies of the middle and anterior cranial base.

Also on this website:

• Audiology Department home page