Prognostic Factors of Hearing Outcome in Untreated Vestibular Schwannomas: Implication of Subdivision of Their Growth by Volumetric Analysis

Conservative management could be especially valid for small (<0.10 cm3), noncystic VSs in patients with Gardner-Robertson grade 1 at diagnosis. However, for tumors with a small-to-medium initial volume (0.10-3.0 cm3), future hearing impairment might be inversely proportional to tumor growth rate. Therefore, small-to-medium sized tumors should be followed-up more closely regardless of the initial hearing impairment.