Post-operative Improvement of Facial Palsy caused by Large Vestibular Schwannomas

Abstract

Facial nerve palsy is a rare symptom of vestibular schwannoma, even when there is substantial tumoral compression of the facial nerve. Here, we describe two cases of large vestibular schwannomas who presented with facial nerve palsy. Both patients experienced post ‒ operative improvement of facial motility, from grade Ⅲ before surgery to grade Ⅰ afterward, according to the House ‒ Brackmann grading system. Although surgical resection of these tumors tends to be difficult, owing to insufficient intraoperative electromyographic responses of the facial nerve, surgical neural decompression may improve long ‒ term facial motility.