Stripping surgery in intratemporal facial nerve schwannomas with poor facial nerve function

ObjectiveTo report stripping surgery in intratemporal facial nerve schwannomas (FNS) with poor facial nerve function.MethodsWe attempted stripping surgery to completely remove intratemporal FNS with nerve intact in 17 patients, and succeeded in 12 cases. Clinical features of the tumors and the surgical approach were discussed.ResultsMulti-segment involvement was present in 10 cases (58.8%). The tumors were completely removed in all cases, and facial nerve integrity was preserved in 12 patients (70.6%). Six of 12 cases (50.0%) with nerve intact obtained acceptable facial nerve recovery, two of which recovered to Grade II, compared to 2 of 5 cases (40%) with nerve grafting.ConclusionsMulti-segment involvement was more common in FNS. Stripping surgery could remove tumor completely with nerve intact in majority patients, and it seemed to obtain better outcomes of facial nerve.