Tinnitus and Vestibular Schwannoma

Abstract

The heterogeneity within the population of patients with a complaint of tinnitus is high, and this has been a limiting factor in research and the development of effective treatments. With this in mind, the present article reviews published information about experiences of tinnitus in patients diagnosed with a vestibular schwannoma. This provides a relatively homogenous group. The incidence of tinnitus pre-operatively in this condition is described as over 70%, and mechanisms for tinnitus generation are considered. The use of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to exclude vestibular schwannoma in a tinnitus clinic context is advocated, with a caveat on potential discomfort caused by scanner noise. The incidence of tinnitus after surgical excision of vestibular schwannoma is described, and models of tinnitus persistence and predictive factors are considered. Treatment options are described and, in particular, the use of transcranial CROS hearing aid strategies are suggested.