Mental Status in Patients with Vestibular Schwannoma

Abstract

Objective: To perform treatment with higher quality of life, we need to understand the psychological condition of each patient with vestibular schwannoma (VS). In the present study, we examined the pre-treatment mental status of patients with VS by using Cornell Medical Index (CMI) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). Method: Between 1997 and 2010, we enrolled and assigned 30 patients with unilateral VS in the present study. Before the treatment, we examined CMI and SDS to evaluate patients’ psychological condition and also sex, age, tumor size, hearing level in bilateral sides, CP%, and House-Brackmann score to learn patients’ backgrounds. Results: According to the data of CMI (>stage III, IV) and SDS (>40), psychological disturbances were pointed out only in 20.0% of patients with VS (6/30). VS patients with hearing deterioration (>30dB) in the contralateral side were significantly depressed (66.7%: 4/6) more than those with normal hearing (th/8th nerve function in the tumor side did not make any influence, but hearing level in the contra-lateral side significantly affected psychological condition. Conclusion: It is important for physicians to give patients with an only/better hearing in the tumor side adequate informed consents about the possibility of profound bilateral hearing loss and about what he or she can do for communications with others in such situations, hearing aid + lip reading and cochlear/brainstem implant.