DIFFERENT ASPECTS OF HEARING PRESERVATION IN SURGERY OF VESTIBULAR SCHWANNOMA IN WOMEN AND MEN

Pre-operative and postoperative auditory function was reviewed retrosp ectively in 98 patients with vestibular schwannomas. According to thei r hormonal status, women were categorized as ''premenopausal'' and ''p ostmenopausal''. Before surgery, 48% of the women (65% premenopausal) and 16% of the men presented with sudden bearing loss. The degree of a utitory function before operation was similar for women and men. Prese rvation of preoperative hearing was possible for 41% of the women (21% premenopausal) and 59% of the men. Further details of the surgery and the results of histopathological examination were also compared for w omen and men. Our results support substantial evidence that hearing pr eservation after surgery of vestibular schwannoma is easier to accompl ish for men than for women. The finding of significantly more sudden h earing loss in premenopausal women may suggest a hormonal influence on tumour growth, which map also be partially responsible for the differ ence in hearing prognosis between women and men.