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Skull Base Tumor
Acoustic Tumors
Acoustic tumors, or vestibular schwannomas, account for 8% of all intracranial tumors. They are more common in females, are mostly slow growing (approximately 1 mm per year), and present a primary symptom of unilateral hearing loss or ringing in the ear. When treated, the prognosis for acoustic tumors is usually very good. In most cases they require surgery, though a patient can elect to postpone surgery and actively monitor the tumor’s rate of growth which may be very slow and never merit treatment. Hearing loss and facial nerve damage are the two primary risks associated with enlarging acoustic tumors. Our specialists can also treat acoustic tumors conservatively if hearing loss is already present and the tumor’s rate of growth is slow.
Colloid Cysts
Colloid cysts are rare tumors that occur within the fluid-containing ventricles of the brain. Because of their location in the brain, colloid cysts can block the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and cause symptoms including headache, visual problems, short term memory loss, and loss of consciousness. In some cases, these tumors can be life-threatening. Our specialists use advanced endoscopic surgical techniques to remove these tumors through minimally-invasive means. After a one-inch incision is made, our surgeons create a small key-hole opening in the skull approximately the size of a dime and typically remove the cyst in less than an hour. Patients are usually in the hospital for two days and enjoy a quick recovery as a result of our team’s minimally-invasive procedures.
Pituitary Adenoma
The pituitary gland controls the regulation of many different hormones and is vital to life. A pituitary adenoma is a specific type of brain tumor that secretes hormones from within the pituitary gland and its symptoms depend on the type of hormone secreted. Impotence, infertility, Cushing’s Disease and excessive growth in children and adults can all signal the presence of a pituitary adenoma.
Most adenomas are benign and can be cured with surgery, medication, radiotherapy or combinations of all three treatments. Surgical removal commonly takes the form of trans-sphenoidal excision and most surgeries can be performed endoscopically using an endonasal approach. For the patient, this means a faster, less invasive surgery with fewer complications, reduced discomfort, and a shorter hospital stay than in years past when more invasive surgical procedures were the norm.
SCHEDULE A CONSULTATION
To schedule a consultation or to obtain a second opinion with a Los Angeles Neurosurgical Institute specialist,
please call: 877-MD-LANSI (877-635-2674) or email us at info@lansi.org.
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