CRANIAL NERVE-CONDUCTION AND NEEDLE ELECTROMYOGRAPHY IN PATIENTS WITHACOUSTIC NEUROMAS - A MODEL OF COMPRESSION NEUROPATHY

Of 45 patients with acoustic neuromas (0.3-5.0 cm), 73% had facial ner ve impairment on electrophysiologic testing, but only 16% had facial w eakness. Cranial nerve conduction was the most sensitive measurement, especially prolongation of the ipsilateral R1 latency of the blink ref lex compared with that of the contralateral reflex. The severity of ne rve conduction abnormality was highly correlated with tumor size. Our results confirm and quantitate the sensitivity of nerve action potenti al latency in response to chronic nerve compression. (C) 1994 John Wil ey & Sons, Inc.