Acoustic neurinomas during pregnancy: Report of two cases and review of literature

Though infrequent, acoustic neurinomas have been described during pregnancy and represent a therapeutic challenge for excision without producing any p roblem for the mother and the foetus. First Author experienced two cases of acoustic neurinomas presenting during pregnancy. One patient presented in the terminal stages of the third trimester of pregnancy and underwent caesa rean section, followed by retromastoid craniectomy and excision of the rumo ur. Operative management of the pregnancy and tumour in the same sitting ha s not been reported in the literature. Second patient who presented during 2nd trimester of pregnancy, was operated on for the tumour and had a succes sful continuance of pregnancy. Details of the management are discussed and the relevant literature reviewed. In addition to causing aggravation of sym ptoms, the larger size and increased vascularity of these rumours during pr egnancy, makes them more vulnerable to acute bleeding, which in turn may in itiate new or exacerbate pre-existing symptoms, as noted in one of the case s presented in this report.