John:
I had an excellent experience with my PCP, who, upon my presentation of symptoms first ordered a blood test for thyroid problems and when that proved negative, ordered an MRI. True, he was expecting to see a sinus problem, but the MRI showed my 4.5 cm - big as life - and he called me, from his home, that evening, with the news. The local neurosurgeon he recommended didn't impress me at all (60 AN surgeries, and he was hesitant to admit it). Fortunately, my wife's neurologist, a surgeon who specializes in spine surgery, recommended a neurosurgeon in his practice who specialized in brain tumors and had extensive experience with acoustic neuroma tumor removal. He was a courtly gentleman in his late 60's who spent a lot of time with us and acted as if he were an applicant for a job, which, in retrospect, he was. We quickly decided on this surgeon and have never regretted it. He did a beautiful job of surgically removing about a third of the AN, then assisted a young but experienced radiologist who 'programmed' the FSR treatments that eventually killed the tumor. I couldn't be more pleased with the result.
However, had I spent time and money having unnecessary procedures done by an ENT, as many on this board have related over the time I've been a member/contributer, I would certainly be displeased. The fact that you had a very large AN before being diagnosed is scary. It seems as if, because hearing issues are usually the first manifestation of an acoustic neuroma tumor, many patients end up in the care of an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist who concentrates on the ears and seems to overlook or ignore the fact that there are other sources for hearing loss...such as an acoustic neuroma tumor growing in the IAC. In my opinion, the fact that AN tumors are relatively rare is not much of an excuse for not seeking further diagnostic tests, when a patient isn't responding to various ear-specific procedures and/or, despite ear medication and procedures, his symptoms get worse, not better. My Primary Care Physician ordered an MRI scan fairly quickly when his first guess at the cause of my unilateral hearing loss, severe decrease in appetite, dizziness, one-sided head pain and onset of lethargy proved erroneous. Perhaps this was due to the fact that he is an internist and not focused on the ears, as ENT specialists often are when a patient presents with what seem like ear-specific symptoms. Frankly, although I waited much too long to see a doctor for my symptoms, I'm rather glad I didn't go to an ENT first, as they often appear to slow down a diagnosis of an acoustic neuroma tumor, due to their focus on the ear itself and not what lies behind the ear mechanism.
As for your legal options...I have no idea. With the exception of some egregious form of malpractice, like amputating the wrong body part, I'm generally against suing medical professionals as my wife once worked in insurance claims and said that many times, these 'nuisance suits' are simply a way to get a few thousand dollars for an avaricious client and his equally greedy attorney and, as Sam Rush noted, these lawsuits needlessly push up the overall cost of medical care and heath insurance premiums. From what you've stated, I don't see a legitimate case here but as I'm not a physician, I'm also not an attorney and cannot advise you with any degree of credibility.
That said, I would at least research a reputable medical malpractice attorney in your area and when you find one, schedule a consultation, especially as these are usually free. He or she may think you have a splendid case or simply tell you that you have no real basis to sue. At least you'll know where you stand. However, I do know that these kinds of cases require voluminous documentation, expert witnesses and so on, and may not be worth the time and effort required. That decision will ultimately be up to you. I trust you'll act wisely - and keep us informed.
Jim
