Impact of Elevation of Temporal Lobe During Middle Fossa Acoustic Neuroma Surgery on Contralateral Speech Discrimination.

Abstract

For middle fossa acoustic neuroma approach, retractors are needed to elevate the temporal lobe to be able to access the internal auditory meatus. The temporal lobe hosts the primary and secondary auditory fields. The question arises regarding whether this elevation affects the functionality of the auditory cortex. In patients, who underwent acoustic neuroma surgery, contralateral speech discrimination was tested pre- and postsurgery using different speech discrimination tests. Results of patients with a middle fossa approach were compared with patients with a translabyrinthine approach. No major differences between the translabyrinthine and the middle fossa approach could be detected. Elevation of the temporal lobe during middle fossa approach for acoustic neuroma surgery does not lead to short-term impaired contralateral speech discrimination compared with translabyrinthine approach.