Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- asymmetrical hearing loss
- facial numbness
- progressive episodes of dizziness
Other diagnostic factors
- tinnitus
- difficulty localising sounds
- headache
- facial weakness
- increased or decreased tears
- metallic or reduced taste
- diplopia on lateral gaze
- nystagmus
- loss of balance and co-ordination difficulties
- slower blink
- swallowing difficulties
- gait disturbances
- hydrocephalus
- papilloedema
- increased intracranial pressure
Diagnostic investigations
1st investigations to order
- audiogram
- gadolinium-enhanced MRI head
- CT head
- auditory brainstem reflexes
Treatment algorithm
Contributors
Authors VIEW ALL
Clinical Associate Professor
University of British Columbia
Vancouver Health Sciences Centre
Division of Neurosurgery
Vancouver
British Columbia
Canada
Disclosures
RA declares that he has no competing interests.
Peer reviewers VIEW ALL
Division of Neurosurgery
University of Toronto
Toronto
Ontario
Canada
Disclosures
DR declares that he has no competing interests.
Vice Chairman
Professor
Director
Cerebrovascular Surgery
Co-Director
Skull Base Surgery
Department of Neurological Surgery
University of Washington
Harborview Medical Center
Seattle
WA
Disclosures
LNS declares that he has no competing interests.
Professor
Division of Neurosurgery
Dalhousie University
Halifax
Nova Scotia
Canada
Disclosures
RH declares that she has no competing interests.
Senior Lecturer in Otolaryngology
Honorary Consultant Otolaryngologist
Glasgow Royal Infirmary
Glasgow
UK
Disclosures
IS declares that he has no competing interests.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
AP-HP
Hopital Lariboisiere
Service ORL
Universite Paris 7
Paris and Laboratoire des Réseaux Sensorimoteurs
Paris
France
Disclosures
PTBH declares that he has no competing interests.
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