Vestibular Schwannomas (Acoustic Neuroma)

• Benign, slow-growing tumors arising from the sheath of the vestibular nerve, which connects the inner ear to the brain
• Common symptoms include hearing loss on one side, ringing in the ear (tinnitus), and imbalance or dizziness
• Larger tumors can compress the brainstem and surrounding cranial nerves, causing facial numbness or weakness
• Treatment options include observation with serial MRI, microsurgical resection, and stereotactic radiosurgery, depending on tumor size, growth, and symptoms
• Surgical removal is typically reserved for larger tumors or those causing brainstem compression
• Stereotactic radiosurgery delivers a single highly focused dose of radiation to the tumor, achieving long-term tumor control in over 90% of cases while preserving facial nerve function and, in many patients, useful hearing