Postoperative quality of life in vestibular schwannoma patients measured by the SF36 health questionnaire

Objective: To quantify the postoperative quality of life in patients follow ing surgical treatment for vestibular schwannoma Study Design: Patient self -assessment using the short form 36 (SF36) multidimensional quality of life health questionnaire. Sex- and age-matched normalized scores were calculat ed using a standardized process and accepted normative data. Setting: Terti ary referral skull base unit. Results: An 80% response rate (90 patients) w as achieved, The postoperative quality of life in vestibular schwannoma pat ients, as quantified by seven of the eight SF36 health scales was less than the appropriate matched healthy standard. Comparison of a variety of preop erative patients and tumor factors - different operative approaches (transl abyrinthine and retrosigmoid), tumor size (group cut of points of tumor dia meter 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm), patient sex, and ranking of patient age - showed no statistically significant difference in measured quality of life outcome s for each of these traditional predictors. Conclusion: Reduced quality of life in patients after surgical treatment for vestibular schwannoma, couple d with the low tumor growth rates and minimal preoperative symptoms, suppor ts a conservative approach to patient management. The advantages and disadv antages of a variety of approaches used to measure the quality of life afte r surgical treatment of vestibular schwannoma and their impact on clinical decision making for patients, are discussed.