ANA Discussion Forum
Treatment Options => Microsurgical Options => Topic started by: m4guzman on March 10, 2009, 08:07:51 am
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HI Everyone,
The Doctors have decided that they want to do the "Middle Fossa" method to try to save my hearing.
After reading through alot of this forum, I have not found anyone who states that there hearing was saved.
I know that they give you a 50/50 shot of saving your hearing but I have not seen one post saying "Yes they saved
my hearing.
Is there anyone out there who after surgery still has hearing in their AN ear?
Marybeth
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Yes, I did. I am deaf on one side and am NF2 and was near deaf on the other and had mid fossa last April. I did get back my hearing back most of the way so was more than just saving it. I did not need the cochlear implant we planned on. I have heard of some who have had it saved and were not NF2. The gal is not on this forum I think of right off. House says they save 75-80% of ones they do that the person is NF2 so really want to save some hearing on a side. I go to the Univ of Iowa. So there can be a chance.
Cheryl R
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She hasn't posted much lately, but Desilu (Ann) had a great result from Middle Fossa at House a few years ago:
http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=6441.msg62207#msg62207
I'm sure there are some others.
Steve
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Also Cathy, aka Dog Lover, had a middle fossa last August and kept her hearing:
http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=8545.msg92904#msg92904
Steve
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I had retrosigmoid and they saved my hearing, but I think this had to do with where the tumor was located. Have other issues to deal with though...
Marci
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I couldn't have a middle fossa approach done because of a nighttime seizure disorder, but found the less invasive method at SBI instead. Day 7 and I have hearing. I'm hoping that my tinnitus, which got really quiet the first days after surgery but is kind of loud again, will die down a little. Subjectively, since I won't be tested for a few months, my hearing now is the same as my hearing before surgery last Wednesday.
Steph
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I had retrosigmoid at House (can't say enough good about them!) almost 3 years ago, and yes, they saved most of my pre-op hearing. Low tones are good; high tones are non-existent. But knowing that I can get a hearing aid when/if my hearing gets worse is a good thing. :D
The best to you,
Kathy
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I had retrosigmoid approach for my AN one year ago. Before surgery I had already lost about 20% of my hearing, since surgery I have about 20% hearing remaining. The good news is that a MicroTech Curve digital hearing aid has been a great boost to that 20% so it is very functional now. Of course the hearing in that ear will never be "normal" (as in hearing like I had before the AN) again.
Since singing and accompanying have been a major portion of my life's enjoyment, I was devastated with the initial diagnosis. Although not perfect, I am back singing and accompanying.
Much depends upon the skill of the surgeon and the location of the tumor. Here's hoping for hearing preservation for you!
Clarice
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Marybeth,
I had retrosigmoid 18 months ago. Before surgery I had lost about 30% and after surgery I still have 50% hearing AN ear. I really only notice the lose when it is really loud and someone speaks to me on that side. When I'm listening to music on my MP3 player and set the volume AN side then it is to loud for the good side but I still hear in stereo.
Dan in Germany
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All,
Thanks for your words of encourgement!!! I love getting all my answers from this forum.
I am scheduled for Mid Fossa on April 27th. Wish me luck!
Now the countdown begins.........
Marybeth
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Dear Marybeth,
You have our best wishes on your present journey & beyond! Do let us know about your outcome & progress. Know that you have many supporters out here!
God bless you on your journey,
Kathy
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All,
Thanks for your words of encourgement!!! I love getting all my answers from this forum.
I am scheduled for Mid Fossa on April 27th. Wish me luck!
Now the countdown begins.........
Marybeth
As an 8 day postie, I can honestly say (in the words of Tom Petty), that "The waiting is the hardest part". At least it was for me! So glad to see you have your date set. Now try to keep your mind on "other" things for a while :).
Ernie
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MaryBeth:
Congratulations on scheduling your surgery! The time will fly and soon you'll rid of your AN. :)
I took the liberty of adding your surgery date to our 'AN Treatment Calendar' http://my.calendars.net/an_treatments/d27/04/2009?authenticate=&display=M&style=B (http://my.calendars.net/an_treatments/d27/04/2009?authenticate=&display=M&style=B) Feel free to edit it as you see fit.
Jim
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Congrats on setting a date for surgery, Marybeth! I'm confident that the time will move swiftly between now and then, and you will experience an unevetful surgery and swift recovery.
Regards,
Brian
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Since singing and accompanying have been a major portion of my life's enjoyment, I was devastated with the initial diagnosis. Although not perfect, I am back singing and accompanying.
[/quote]
I'm so glad to hear of someone else who is a musician/singer in this group. I have been curious myself as to how much hearing will be lost. I know that there's a 50/50 chance of losing more hearing so I'm ready to accept losing it. I'm not ready to lose my singing yet, however. :'(
Molly
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Molly .....
Although I no longer sing solos, I sing in two choral groups (church choir and a community chorus) and have had to make some adjustments in placement within the groups ..... same with accompanying. Because of the decrease in "normal" hearing on the left, I am as careful as I can be to not be placed next to a very strong singer on my right .... otherwise I cannot hear my own voice or anything else. (My husband directs the community chorus so he is very aware of my needs ...... in more ways than one! ;D)
I do not know if it is true with all AN related hearing loss or not, but I find my hearing to be very inconsistent ..... somewhat related to the degree of tinnitus I am experiencing at any given time, as well as my fatigue level.
Hang in there ..... you will still be able to sing ...... you will just need to make adjustments to the "new" sound of your own voice ..... and that gets better and better as time goes on. You might be interested in Oliver Sachs' book "Musicophilia" .... especially the parts about the brain and pitch perception. Initially I had a crazy thing going with perceiving two different pitches in my ears! ::) Bummer!
Feel free to contact me separately if you have other thoughts on this.
Clarice
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Hi Marybeth,
I have not been on the website lately, but I did retain 85% of my hearing after my surgery. I don't need a hearing aid but I did try one out, it was too pricey! If you would like to talk, just send me a personal email and we can talk. I wish you the best. Ann
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Hi MaryBeth,
Yeah - as Steve mentioned earlier in the thread, I had mid-fossa last Aug and my hearing was saved. Not perfect, but definately functional!
Good luck!
Cathy
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Hello,I had retro. & my hearing was saved I have no less then before surgry.can hear low but not high tones.High tones are non existant.Good Luck w/ you surgery.
We will be awaiting your postie notes!
cin
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I have not encountered a single person who has had an AN over 8 mm that sits close to the cochlea that retained hearing after surgery. It is a likely byproduct of this very difficult procedure. Over time, they have decreased the risk of the other major complications so much (ie facial palsy, brainstem stroke, bleeding, etc), but to retain hearing you either have to have a very, very smalll tumor (ie 3 or 5 mm in size) or have the tumor located a long way from the cochlea.
Dufreyne--
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Well...my tumor was 2 cm (not mm), and they saved my hearing. I do feel blessed.
Kathy