Can hearing return?

[lrobie]

Even though the decision is still up in the air, whether to have surgery, the doctor is now recommending translab.  He said he could still do middle-fossa but the risk to the facial nerve is higher.  Translab will cause total deafness.  If I were to go with middle fossa, is it possible that after removing the tumor my hearing could come back...at least partially?  I still can hear sounds in my ear (not just the tinnitus).  What I can't hear is all the words in a conversation using that ear on the phone or if someone is talking to me from that side.  At times, I also can't tell what side a sound came from.  I'm currently going through a phase of asking myself why I W&W'ed.  Maybe I wouldn't have lost some of my hearing.   

[Jim Scott]

Lisa ~

Unfortunately (to the best of my knowledge - I'm not a doctor ) once lost, hearing does not return.  The nerve damage is irreversible. 

Jim