Translab and hearing nerve

[LMH]

Hi everyone,

Just a quick question about the translab approach.  I know that hearing is sacrificed but I spoke with a doctor last week who said it's possible to save the hearing nerve with the translab approach.  I guess I thought b/c hearing was sacrificed the nerve would be as well but is that not always the case? 

Thanks!
Lisa

[leapyrtwins]

Lisa -

saving hearing with the translab approach    This is news to me.  It is my understanding that the patient's hearing is automatically sacrificed during translab.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

There are other approaches - mid fossa and retrosigmoid - that give patients a chance of saving their hearing, but there is no guarantee.  I'm a perfect example of that.  I had retrosigmoid and came out SSD.

Jan

[chocolatetruffle]

i second jan and this is news to me too. i have translab and my hearing was sacrificed, the other 2 approaches offer hearing opportunities. 

lisa, which doctor did you speak with? it will be interesting to hear about his approach.

[LMH]

Jan,

I know I heard him correctly but I'm not really sure what he meant.  I know hearing is lost with the translab but he said it may be possible to preserve the hearing nerve.  I didn't think that's the way it worked.  Just wanted to see if I was missing something.  Thanks!

Lisa

[sgerrard]

First, you might want to take a look at this topic, posted by Esperanza a few weeks ago. A case of hearing preservation with translab surgery (there have been a few over the years): http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=6610.0

Preserving hearing, and preserving the hearing nerve, are two different things. The doctor may mean that enough hearing nerve is preserved that a cochlear implant, or some such technology, is possible as a way of getting a sound signal to the brain. I think some portion of the hearing nerve has to be intact for that, and I believe that translab typically snips off the end, but does not destroy the entire nerve.

Or it could mean something else.

Steve

[leapyrtwins]

Preserving hearing, and preserving the hearing nerve, are two different things. The doctor may mean that enough hearing nerve is preserved that a cochlear implant, or some such technology, is possible as a way of getting a sound signal to the brain. I think some portion of the hearing nerve has to be intact for that, and I believe that translab typically snips off the end, but does not destroy the entire nerve.

Steve -

I think you are right about this. 

Also, thanks for the link to Esperanza's post, I either missed it or just didn't remember it.

Jan

[Melissa778]

My doc did tell em that there was a slight chance in translab of saving hearing, but usually once they get in there it's unlikely, but not an impossibility.  I had no hope and pretty much considered my hearing to be a goner.....my husband held out hope for some hearing for me.....in the end he was disappointed, and I was prepared.

Melissa

[LMH]

Steve - Thank you for that link.  I think you're right in your assessment.  I do remember him mentioning something about a cochlear so he must have meant that it might be possible to save part of the nerve.  He's the first of the multiple doctors I've consulted to even mention that as a possibility.

Melissa - How did your surgery go and how are you recovering?  I hope all is well.

Lisa 

[LADavid]

The reason why I opted for the Translab is that I had alread lost most of my hearing in the AN side so losing the rest of it wasn't really an issue.  I do recall that the surgeon said there was little hope that it could be saved.  What that meant I'm not sure.  As Melissa said -- I too was already prepared.

[Melissa778]

LMH,

My surgery went well and I am feelign wonderful at 5 weeks post op.  Back to work part time and for me persoanlly the SSD really isn't that bad.  I've adapted well and for the most part it's not bothersome.  I have the itching at the incision site and occassional nerve type pains, btu other than that I'm great.  My equllibreum was terribel wehn I first came home, but I worked at it and now the only tiem I get the "spinnies" is when I turn my head to fast or bend over and stand up too quickly.  I have wonderful doctors and I still have another go round to get the little guy completely out this fall (Gamma Knife), here's to hoping that goes jsut as smoothly   Best of luck to you.

Melissa

[pswift00]

My understanding is that your loss of hearing due to translab has nothing to do with nerves, but rather because the bony canal (or something like that) is sacrificed and actually fills with CSF as a result of the procedure.  But I may have misunderstood my sugeon on that one.

[leapyrtwins]

My understanding is that your loss of hearing due to translab has nothing to do with nerves, but rather because the bony canal (or something like that) is sacrificed and actually fills with CSF as a result of the procedure.  But I may have misunderstood my sugeon on that one.

I could be wrong, since I'm not a doctor, but I don't think this is correct.

Jan

[4cm in Pacific Northwest]

HUH 

There is NO hearing preservation with the translab- at all... … Only a slighty higher chance of FACIAL nerve preservation.



DHM

[leapyrtwins]

First, you might want to take a look at this topic, posted by Esperanza a few weeks ago. A case of hearing preservation with translab surgery (there have been a few over the years): http://anausa.org/forum/index.php?topic=6610.0

DHM -

according to this link that Steve posted, apparently it is possible.  Doesn't sound like it's a high probability, rather it's a small possibility.

Jan

[pswift00]

My understanding is that your loss of hearing due to translab has nothing to do with nerves, but rather because the bony canal (or something like that) is sacrificed and actually fills with CSF as a result of the procedure.  But I may have misunderstood my sugeon on that one.

I could be wrong, since I'm not a doctor, but I don't think this is correct.

Jan

Bone in your inner ear canal is removed during this approach, which is why hearing can't be preserved.