THE BURDEN OF SCREENING FOR ACOUSTIC NEUROMA - ASYMMETRIC OTOLOGIC SYMPTOMS IN THE ENT CLINIC

The rising numbers of legal cases relating to delay in the diagnosis o f acoustic neuroma, combined with the increasing availability of magne tic resonance, is increasing pressure on otologists to make an early d efinitive diagnosis of cerebellopontine angle tumours. Unilateral or a symmetrical otologic symptoms not explained by external or middle ear disease are elicited in 16.6% of 500 consecutive attenders to an otola ryngology clinic. An agreed policy of risk stratification of patients with unexplained asymmetric otological symptoms is required if expense is to be limited and litigation minimized.