Trigeminal Nerve Deficit in Large and Compressive Acoustic Neuromas and Its Correlation with MRI Findings

Abstract

In large/compressive acoustic neuromas, trigeminal nerve deficit has to be sought to avoid corneal complications in particular. Trigeminal hypoesthesia occurs preoperatively in about half of the cases. It remains relatively stable after tumor removal, but there appears to be an increased rate of absent corneal reflex and keratitis postoperatively. We were able to correlate pre/postoperative trigeminal hypoesthesia with pre/postoperative MRI findings.