Greetings, My Brethern: I have read with interest the text in the following book:
OTOLARY NGOLOGIC CLINICS OF NORTH AMERICA
Neurotology
GUEST EDITOR
David 5. Haynes, MD
June 2007 Volume 40 Number 3
In particular, I have 'pdf'ed" the following sections, pages 521-609, which is all the text and pictures from the articles listed below. The file sizes are less than 10 Mb so if your email will not gag, I will be glad to email it to you if you send me a request. I hope this is the right way to go about distribution of this information (corrections welcomed). Obviously this is copyrighted material but I am confident that you all are not goint to re-publish. I found it to be extraordinarily informative with data and results. Let me know, and Peace to All
Frank
"Guiding Patients Through the Choices for Treating Vestibular Schwannomas: Balancing Options and Ensuring Informed Consent"
Douglas D. Backous and Huong T. Pham
Counseling patients who are diagnosed with vestibular schwannomas,formerly known as acoustic neuromas, can be challenging.The health care provider has the responsibility to explain, in understandable language, to the patient or legal representative the proposed treatment options, risks and complications associated with each form of treatment, and alternatives to treatment, including no therapy. Patients should be encouraged to gather information before making a treatment decision. For the physicians managing these patients, information should be delivered in a balanced way to ensure patient understanding of their options leading
to adequate informed consent.
"LINAC Radiosurgery and Radiotherapy Treatment of Acoustic Neuromas"
Ilya Likhterov, Robert M. Allbright, and Samuel H. Selesnick
This article provides an introduction to radiation therapy as it applies to intracranial tumors. It also provides a review of the natural growth progression of acoustic neuromas and accuracy of tumor size determination. Literature on the use of linear accelerator stereotactic radiosurgery and fractionated radiotherapy in acoustic neuroma management is reviewed and summarized. Specifically, the rates of reported tumor control, hearing preservation, facial and trigeminal nerve complications, and hydrocephalus are analyzed. Although the complication rates associated with linear accelerator therapy are relatively low, hearing preservation is poor and
acoustic neuroma control is variable.
"Stereotactic Radiation Techniques in the Treatment of Acoustic Schwannomas"
Steven Abram, Paul Rosenblatt, and Stephen Holcomb
Medical decision-making is based on benefit-to-cost analysis. Optimally,treatment obtains a high degree of benefit while minimizing the physical, social, and financial costs. The goals of the treatment of acoustic schwannomas are prohibiting tumor growth and alleviation of symptoms caused by damage to local structures. These symptoms-tinnitus, ataxia, and hearing loss-secondary to eighth nerve dysfunction, as well as symptoms arising from damage to adjacent structures such as the facial nerve, trigeminal nerve, or pons, can be caused by tumor growth or treatment. Determination of optimal therapy must also take into account an understanding of the natural history of the disease, because acoustic schwannomas are slow-growing benign tumors that when left untreated, usually enlarge over time and cause problems.
"Surgical Approaches and Complications in the Removal of Vestibular Schwannomas"
Marc Bennett and David Haynes
