LOWER CRANIAL NERVE SCHWANNOMAS INVOLVING THE JUGULAR FORAMEN

Schwannomas involving the jugular foramen are rare lesions, and no con sensus exists on their management. This paper reports on 20 such cases treated in our centers. Nineteen cases were operated on for removal o f the tumors, and the remaining case is being managed by watchful expe ctancy. Fifteen cases were operated on by the petro-occipital trans-si gmoid approach with or without labyrinthectomy, 2 by the infratemporal fossa approach, 1 by the modified transcochlear approach, and 1 by th e jugulo-petrosectomy approach. The petro-occipital trans-sigmoid appr oach allowed single-stage, total tumor removal with preservation of th e facial nerve and of middle and inner ear functions. Lower cranial ne rve paralysis was the major complication and seemed to be inherent to the disease rather than to the approach used. No cerebrospinal fluid l eak or meningitis occurred in the present series. So far, no recurrenc e has been detected.