Nowadays, we can treat acoustic neuromas without invasive surgery. Specialized radiosurgery technologies, such as the CyberKnife and the ZAP-X system, allow us to successfully treat these cases while sparing the surrounding tissue.
Compared to conventional surgery, radiosurgery treatment has much fewer side effects. In this video you will learn more about how we tackle acoustic neuromas with this type of treatment.
My name is Dr. Markus Kufeld, I am a neurosurgeon at the European Radiosurgery Center and have been treating patients with the CyberKnife for 15 years. For the past three years, I have also been using the ZAP-X system.
An acoustic neuroma, also known as a vestibular schwannoma, is a benign tumor affecting the auditory nerve or the vestibular nerve. Symptoms often include hearing loss or vertigo.
The hearing loss mainly affects high frequencies and the ability to understand speech. Although conventional surgery is still recommended for large tumors – especially those that are already affecting the adjacent brain tissue –, radiosurgery offers a good alternative for small and medium-sized acoustic neuromas. With radiosurgery, there is a good chance that the tumor can be deactivated in a single session. The surrounding tissue is spared, and the risks are significantly lower compared to conventional surgery.
Special devices for single-session, high-precision irradiation are the Gammaknife, the CyberKnife and the new ZAP-X system. These high-precision devices have been specifically designed for radiosurgery. During the treatment, these devices direct beams at the tumor from different directions with pinpoint accuracy. The dosage of each individual beam does not damage healthy tissue. However, in the target area, where all the beams meet, the radiation is more concentrated.
We can treat the tumor with maximum precision and the highest level of accuracy, while sparing the surrounding tissue. As a result, the tumor is deactivated and, in the long term, recedes. Both the CyberKnife system and the new ZAP-X system have been designed and optimized for this type of high-precision irradiation. Moreover, these procedures are so gentle, they allow us to carry out treatment on an outpatient basis – without hospitalization.
In general, patients return to their everyday life almost immediately after their treatment; there are no restrictions. The regular follow-ups include an MRI scan and hearing tests to evaluate the results.
The advantages of radiosurgery include little to no side effects, no need for hospitalization, i.e. outpatient treatment, and thus a swift return to everyday life. Thus, barely affecting the patient's general well-being.
The effectiveness and safety of treating acoustic neuromas with radiosurgery was demonstrated in scientific studies as early as the 1990s. Since then, long-term studies have shown high success rates over the decades.
Unfortunately, as with all other treatment options, patients cannot expect their hearing to improve. In fact, radiosurgery may lead to some deterioration in hearing on the affected side. We observe this in about half of the patients. Moreover, patients should not expect improvements in the tinnitus that often goes along with their condition. However, when it comes to balance issues like vertigo, there is a good chance that they will improve.
We have treated over 2000 patients with acoustic neuroma at the European Radiosurgery Center in Munich over the last 20 years. This makes us pioneers and we are committed to providing the best possible treatment for our patients. From assessing the suitability of cases to advising patients on treatment options, carrying out treatment as well as aftercare, we offer all these steps at our facility.
If you would like to find out more about the European Radiosurgery Center, radiosurgical treatment of acoustic neuromas or if you have further questions, feel free to arrange a consultation. We are happy to help and answer your questions.