Radiosurgery for acoustic neuromas: results of low-dose treatment.

Overview

OBJECTIVE: The results of radiosurgical treatment of acoustic neuromas have improved by reducing the tumor marginal doses. We report relatively long-term follow-up results (>5 yr) for patients who underwent low-dose radiosurgery. METHODS: We treated and followed 51 consecutive patients with unilateral acoustic neuromas who were treated from January 1994 to December 1996 by gamma knife radiosurgery at low doses (20 dB of improvement) were noted in 9% of the patients with any hearing. Hearing was preserved at a useful level (Gardner-Robertson Classes 1 and 2) in 56% of patients. Although preexisting trigeminal neuropathy worsened in 4% of the patients, our patients did not experience new facial palsies or trigeminal neuropathies after radiosurgery. Facial spasm occurred in 6% of the patients, and intratumoral bleeding occurred in 4% of patients. CONCLUSION: Low-dose radiosurgery (