Gamma Knife Surgery for Facial Nerve Schwannomas

Abstract

This first study demonstrates that radiosurgery allows treatment of these patients while preserving normal motor facial function. Such an advantage should lead to the consideration of GKS as a first treatment option for small- to medium-size facial nerve schwannomas.

Facial Nerve Outcomes in Facial Nerve Schwannomas

“…This patient has had no growth of the tumor in more than 5 years of follow-up with unchanged FN function. These outcomes are consistent with the very few patients described in literature (17,18).…”

Stereotactic Radiotherapy for Intracranial Nonacoustic Schwannomas Including Facial Nerve Schwannoma

“…The mean tumor volume was 8.2 mL with a range of 0.3 to 31.3 mL, which is equivalent to the values in the previous series using SRS (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14) and SRT (20). No patient showed a worsening of pre-existing neurologic symptoms or had new cranial nerve deficits develop.…”

“…On the basis of the effectiveness of radiation therapy for acoustic schwannomas, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) with a Gamma Knife or linear accelerator-based system has been applied to nonacoustic schwannomas, and an excellent local control rate and few adverse effects have been reported (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14) Recent advances in image-guided radiotherapy have made it possible to use fractionated radiotherapy with stereotactic accuracy. Acoustic schwannomas are known to be well treated with fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT), and there is a lower rate of late adverse effects with this method than with SRS (15).…”

Large Intratemporal Facial Nerve Schwannoma without Facial Palsy: Surgical Strategy of Tumor Removal and Functional Reconstruction

“…17 Radiosurgery is a safe therapeutic alternative for patients with small to medium-size facial schwannomas. 18 It may be preferred as a first-line treatment when the tumor is smaller or as a salvage treatment for residual/recurrent tumors that remain or progress after resection. 19 Tumor growth control rate is high.…”