Objective: To evaluate the literature and summarize cochlear implantation (CI) outcomes after intralabyrinthine schwannoma (ILS) excision and tumor observation with CI.
Data sources: OVID Medline, Embase, Web of Science; conception to 2024.
Review methods: A literature review was performed using subject headings, MeSH terms, and keywords. Abstracts and full texts were reviewed by two independent reviewers and adjudicated by a third. Inclusion criteria included studies with ILS and CI with reported audiologic outcomes. Subjects were analyzed into two groups, ILS resection with CI and in situ ILS with CI. Patients with NF2 were included. The main outcome of interest was CI audiometric performance level, with secondary outcomes of CI user status and open-set speech attainment.
Results: There were 29 articles with a total of 93 patients who met inclusion criteria. The resection group had 17% low performers, 44% intermediate performers, and 38% high performers. The in situ group had 40% low performers, 32% intermediate performers, 27% high performers. The resection group had 69 patients with 97% maintaining user status and 92% with open-set speech recognition. The observation group had 24 patients, with 87% user rate and 86% achieving open-set speech recognition. There was a greater percentage of NF2 diagnosis seen in the in situ group.
Conclusion: There is a paucity of literature on CI and ILS. Patients are managed with both resection of tumor and implantation in situ. Early data are limited, with improvement in hearing outcomes and high user rates in both populations.
Level of evidence: N/A Laryngoscope, 2024.
Keywords: Intralabyrinthine schwannoma; cochlear implant; neurofibromatosis.
© 2024 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.