Objectives: Assessment of the long-term results of surgery for temporal bon
e paragangliomas with special consideration of the patient's ability to cop
e with the functional deficits. Study Design: Retrospective review of 36 pa
tients who had undergone resection of a temporal bone paraganglioma 10 to 1
5 years previously. Assessment of the patients' subjective view of the func
tional outcome and quality of life by a questionnaire. Methods: Clinical re
cords were reviewed regarding size of tumor, technique of surgery, supporti
ve therapy, and tumor recurrence, Patients were sent a 50-item questionnair
e evaluating their quality of life and the preoperative and postoperative f
unction of cranial nerves VII through XII. Results: A. complete tumor remov
al was achieved in 30 patients (83%). There was only one tumor recurrence.
The major negative effects of surgery involved hearing and dysphagia, which
deterioriated in 14 and 12 patients, respectively. Thirty-five of the 36 p
atients (97%) reported that, despite deterioration, the cranial nerve defic
its were still acceptable, Seventy-five percent of the patients regained th
eir preoperative quality of life and 97% returned to their previous occupat
ion in 1 to 2 years. Conclusions: The otologic extradural approach allowed
complete tumor removal in 83%, with minimal perioperative morbidity, No sur
gically induced central nervous system lesions occured. Tracheostomy was av
oided and all patients resumed oral feeding. Full rehabilitation after remo
val of class C and CD paragangliomas may take 1 to 2 years. However, the fa
ct that 97% of the patients finally resumed normal social life showed the a
bility of most patients to cope with the sequelae of surgery even in class
C and CD paragangliomas. Key Words: Temporal bone paragangliomas, glomus ju
gulare tumors, skull base surgery.