Prevalence of Vestibular Schwanoma in Adult Patients with Unilateral Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Abstract

Objective: The objective of the present study was to determine the prevalence of vestibular schwanoma in adult  patients with unilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss. 
Study Design: Cross-sectional Study  Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted at the Department of ENT, Mufti Mehmood Memorial Teaching Hospital, Dera Ismail Khan from January 2013 to December 2023. 
Methods: Eight hundred and sixty five Adult (>19 years) patients with unilateral Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss were selected through consecutive sampling technique. All patients underwent routine otoscopy, tuning fork tests, pure tone audiometry and contrast enhanced MRI at the time of presentation. All patients were given systemic corticosteroids as primary treatment. Two follow up audiograms were obtained in each patient, first after completion of the treatment and second 2 months after the treatment. 
Results: Out of 865 patients with unilateral Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss 530 were males (61.30%) and 335 (38.70%) females. Mean age of the patients was 44.10±8.12 years (range 20-70 years). The prevalence of vestibular schwanoma in unilateral Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss was 31/865 (3.60%). The prevalence of vestibular schwanoma was higher 21/865 (2.43%) in male. The model age group in patients with vestibular schwanoma was 
51-60 years (11/865 (1.27%). 
Conclusion: The prevalence of vestibular schwanoma in adult patients with unilateral sudden sensorineural hearing  loss is high. Importance of routine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) screening of patients with unilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss should be stressed due to the high prevalence of vestibular schwanoma.