Moving from W&W- Met with Barker/McKenna

[Aprilcl]

Hi all,
On Monday I met with Drs. Barker and McKenna.  I know that at one time Dr. Chang (stanford) was where I was heading, but I could not get over the distance (I am in CT). 
Barker and McKenna agree, surgery is the next step 
I was very surprised that Dr. Barker said he has never seen my combination of symptoms: severe hearing loss with visible facial spasms (eye closure, nose lift, mouth curl).  He thinks I may have two rare conditions combined (AN and a blood vessel pressing on the facial nerve).  To get access to both, he doesn't want to go Translab.  Wants to go retrosig.  I would love your comments... please! 
Thanks, Chris

[mk]

Chris,

did your doctors mention the possibility of a facial neuroma? Even if small, it could cause these kinds of symptoms, and it would affect hearing as well as the two nerves run parallel to each other. It is impossible to tell from the MRI and the surgical approaches are the same for both.

Since this seems like a complicated situation, it may be advisable to seek multiple opinions.  Is the tumor inside the IAC? Some doctors consider that retrosigmoid is not as efficient for small tumors confined inside the IAC.

Good luck and keep us posted.
Marianna

[Aprilcl]

Marianna - Thank you for you response.  Barker/McKenna are my second opinion.  Dr. Barker did consider facial neuroma.  But said he would not know until he got "in there" 

Although the tumor is inside the IAC, the concern is that there may be a vascular compression on the facial nerve.  He said it would only be visible with the retrosig opening.   
Has anyone heard of this?
Chris

[Lynn Mc]

Chris,
Just checking to see how you are doing???