Middle Fossa Approach

[vcschaub]

Prior to my middle fossa surgery, I was told that dizziness as the presenting symptom usually means that the tumor is on the superior vestibular nerve. The superior vestibular nerve lies at the very top of these bundle of nerves and is easily seen via middle fossa because of its "on top" location. My presenting symptom was dizziness. My tumor was 6 mm and was on the superior nerve. I had almost perfect hearing prior to surgery and lost 15% after. I am now fully recuperated -- no dizziness!! After surgery, I had very little dizziness since the "damaged" nerve was not trying to work any more and the good ear had already begun to take over.

[kristin]

Larry--sorry to hear about your bad results of the Middle Fossa approach. you're the first one i've heard of with those kind of results.

vjw--I had Middle Fossa for my 8mm left AN oh my...two years ago this Sunday! wow! oh, sorry. anyway, i went to the best of the best. Dr. Derald Brackmann in LA at House Ear Clinic. I had no hearing loss prior to surgery and only slight hearing loss now. Just had a follow up test and my hearing is exactly the same as last year with high frequency hearing loss (i think it was 10-15% loss). I don't have any facial problems except a "freaky eye" that doesn't close quite right when I smile (more noticable in the cold).

Have you contacted House? They will do a free phone consultation even if you don't go there for surgery. It's really nice to talk to a doctor who knows exactly what they're talking about! Check out their website at www.houseearclinic.com.

Kristin

[tomano]

Hi Valerie,
I was wondering what your final decision was and whether or not you have had surgery yet.
My surgery is next week and I'm as nervous as can be. So I would love to hear how your situation turned out.

[tuckerro]

Hi All,

I, like Kristin, had Middle Fossa surgery last year at the House Ear Clinic in Los Angeles.  I have had no issues, didn't have and don't have headaches, didn't have facial nerve damage or any other issue.

As in any medical procedure, trans lab, radiation, middle fossa, there are no guarantees.  Same as in life, you don't know whether today could be your last, and if and when your time will come.  There is no fail safe method of treatment, as even the wait and see approach has potential consequences, radiation hasn't been tested for long term effects, and microsurgery has other possible side effects.  However, as i've posted in other parts of the forum, all you can do is research your physician, his track record and experience, the surgical procedure you are getting on the internet and through other research and publications and forums such as this one.  After that you just have to take a leap of faith in your surgeon, that things will work out, that he has the experience to "cure" you, and that you won't have the side effects, which some people do have.

When it came down in my situation, I wanted the thing out of my head, didn't want to wait and see as my local ENT had suggested, and didn't want radiation in my head, which left the AN still there in the depths of my head.  My heart goes out to those of us like Larry that have had bad results.  However, just in this particular issue, there are many of us that have had good results, and in my case I know that if it happened again, I would do the same thing again, have the middle fossa, and use Dr. Brackmann again.

RON T.

[tomano]

Ron,
wonderful news to hear on the brink of surgery - a week from today actually.
Thanks!
I just watched a great movie called "The Secret" and I don't know about the power of the mind healing us, but I do know that positive attitudes can make a humongous difference. So it is wonderful to hear your story!

[vjw1218]

Greetings, all.

Tomano, you asked for an update and you shall have one. After meeting with both the Neurotologist and the Neurologist, I decided to have the Middle Fossa surgery and it's scheduled for June 20 - two weeks from today. Drs. Eisenman and Eisenberg with the University of Maryland will be performing the procedure and I feel confident with both of them.

I was diagnosed in January but waited until now to have the surgery because I had some personal plans and big events in April and May.

Thanks to all for your concern. I will do my best to keep you posted.

V

[Ric]

Hi vjw1218,

My story is similar to yours.  I'm considering middle fossa vs. CK. My tumor  is small but I'm having a lot of symptoms and a lot of flucuation of hearing in that ear.  It is being recommended that i don't wait, and that my hearing is fragile. I've lost my hearing acutely 2 times in the last 4 mos.  but it has come back with prednisone.  I would love to hear from all the people who have had middle fossa who have experienced or not experienced headaches after surgery as this is my biggest fear.  My Dr. is at Standford, and I had a radiation consult, and felt like going that way.  Today I had a phone consult with Dr. Brackmann at the HEI.  He is very nice, but has also, (like Jackler recommended surgery) this based on my age 39,  and that the long term studies just aren't out.  So I'm still in the decision making process which I been in since feb. '07 and can't seem to make up my mind.  I would like to hear from more people about middle fossa and their experiences.    Oto, I think you recently had this surgery, how are you?  I hope it all went well.  I know (peg?  The pirate woman had not so great luck with middle fossa.  By the way thanks for your research on the headaches and tx types)   I understand the chance for regrowth is about the same for either middle fossa or radiation.  I can deal with ssd, and some paraylsis, but the headaches I'm not so sure about.   Not sure how one continues to work to keep medical benefits and raise a 4 year old with chronic headaches.  I have read some folks posts who can't even get out of bed! .  Any way, just wanting to hear more from people with experience in the middle fossa approach.  Thanks. Ricki

[BB]

I had Middle Fossa Approach.  I did lose my hearing.  I do not have headaches, expect during the first few weeks.  Didn't need any pain medicene after I was home for two days.  In the hospital I did experience some scary feelings of like explosions going off in my head.  Doctor's said it was normal.  It stopped befoe I came home from the hospital.  I still have balance issues.  I do have some cognitive problems.  I don't know if this only happens with this type of surgery.  I'm sure other's on this forum can give you more info on that.  Right now that is my biggest problem.  It has been one year for me.  I didn't expect progress to be as slow as it has been.  I had to gage my progress more by the month than by the day or week, and it went from one thing to another, but with each thing getting better.  I forgot also the tinnitus was very hard to get used to.  Good day's and bad.  Hope this help's.  This was my journey through this process, and still working on it.  Life does go on, and we do adjust, just some better than others.  Good luck to you.  BB

[jt]

Hi,

I had middle fossa surgery for a 14x10x10 right side AN two months ago with Dr. Roberson of California Ear Institute.  The operation was done at Stanford and I had a great outcome.  My hearing was preserved and did not have any facial nerve problems at all.  The first two weeks after surgery I had dizziness and my balance was off but there was impovement every day.  I felt pretty close to normal at the one month mark.

James

[grocerychik]

I also had middle fossa w/ Dr Roberson at Stanford my tumor was 1.9 cm, I don't have any major issues that I can't deal with.I don't like the dry mouth or dry eye, but I don't have headaches so I am thankful . Its almost been 2 years.

[irene]

Hi everyone I'm a new member and trying to decide what to do since I'm becoming more symptomatic.
I'm considering the Middle Fossa Approach At House Clinic w/ Dr Brackman. I'm wondering what has been your all experience w/ this suregry and resulting migraines if you suffered from migraines on your AN side prior to surgery??

thanks---irene  7mmx6mm left AN on top of cochlearvestib app

[Larry]

Irene,

I never had a headache in my life before surgery.

Although my earlier post was a bitter one (I think I'm entitled to be), there appears to be a lot of success with MF.

Laz

[leapyrtwins]

Irene

had no headaches prior to surgery (retrosigmoid 5/31/07) and have none post op.  Everyone is different.

Jan

[tomano]

Hey all, I know it has been a while since I posted on here. Just wanted to chime in on the headaches. I had bad headaches for about 3 weeks after surgery on May 17th, but they went away. now I only really get them when I have sinus infections (or as happened the other day, a dramatic change in pressure as a cold front moved in). My "dry eye" went away as well within a month. It has been about 6 months and I feel better than I did pre-surgery (back to work as an ocean lifeguard and surfing every chance I get), and that is even though the tumor is still there. Unfortunately, the tumor was attached to the facial nerve and they couldn't get it all without doing damage to the nerve.  I will be going in for ck sometime this winter.
After going through surgery, I understand now that there is no hurry when the tumor is still small. (mine was 12x10x10 and is now a little smaller)  I don't know what to expect with ck radiation, but I will be happy if I never have to go through surgery again.
That being said, I know I wouldn't have been convinced pre surgery of doing anything but Mid Fossa, and right away as I was having some balance issues. (I still do, but not nearly as bad. When I get tired I seem to vear to the left a little bit now.)
 I just have to remind myself that an AN is a slow growing, benign tumor. Time is something I have a lot of- time to think, time to dream, time to listen to others and myself. I still have bad days when I lay down in bed dizzy not knowing if I'll ever be "normal" again, but those are fewer and farther between.

[Erika]

Have you elected to do your surgery? If so, what has been your experience?  I, too, have a small tumor and am scheduled for a middle fossa at the beginning of January.  Needless to say, I'm very apprehensive about this.

Erika