| Abstract: | Objective: To statistically identify factors most important in affecting CN7 outcome in lateral skull base surgery for benign lesions. Study Design: A retrospective review of 217 nonmalignancy lateral skull base procedures from 1970 to 1995 at the Otology Group in Nashville. Methods: Charts were reviewed for epidemiology, histopathology, staging, type of CN7 mobilization (none, short, long, severance with reanastomosis, and resection), preoperative and postoperative CN7 function, surgery performed, and survival. Results: Average House-Brackman (HB) scores for mobilizations were as follows: short, 1.65: long, 2.74: and grafting, 4.33. Factors found to affect outcome in a statistically significant fashion were preoperative HB score, staging, type of CN7 manipulation, and surgical approach. Meningiomas were found to have a worse outcome than glomus tumors. Conclusions: Complete resection of tumors should be performed with minimal manipulation of the facial nerve based on regional anatomy and tumor anatomy. Laryngoscope, 108:1480–1484, 1998 |
