Translabyrinthine resection of neurofibromatosis type 2 associated vestibular and facial schwannomas

"Translabyrinthine resection of neurofibromatosis type 2 associated vestibular and facial schwannomas, repair of facial nerve, and placement of auditory brainstem implant"

Marc S. Schwartz, MD, Gregory P. Lekovic, MD, PhD, Derald E. Brackmann, MD, and Courtney C. J. Voelker, MD, PhD
House Clinic, Neuro-otology and Neurosurgery, Los Angeles, California

We present video of gross-total resection of a large cerebellopontine angle tumor consisting of both vestibular and facial schwannoma components via the translabyrinthine route in a patient with neurofibromatosis type 2. The facial nerve is reconstructed using a greater auricular nerve graft, and an auditory brainstem implant is placed. Prior to surgery the patient had no facial nerve function on the operative side and had lost useful hearing. He also had usable vision only on the ipsilateral side and had contralateral vocal cord paralysis.