Abstract
Vestibular schwannoma (VS) is a benign intracranial tumor derived from myelinating Schwann cells of the vestibular division of the vestibulocochlear nerve. Vestibular schwannomas account for approximately 85 % of cerebellopontine angle tumors. It grows in the so-called transition zone of the internal auditory canal, from which it extends toward the brainstem and cerebellum. From this knowledge, the sequence of symptoms the patient develops can be deduced. The most common manifestations include unilateral hearing loss, tinnitus, and balance disorders.
In most cases, VS growth is slow. The vast majority of VS (95 %) occur as sporadic tumors, with the remaining 5 % occurring as part of an inherited, autosomal dominant form of VS, mainly found in patients with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2)