OBJECTIVETo discuss prognostic factors in microsurgery of intratemporal facial nerve schwannoma.

METHODSClinical and follow-up materials from 13 cases of facial nerve schwannoma were analyzed retrospectively. Spearman rank-order correlation and nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test from SPSS 10.0 for Windows was used for the analysis.

RESULTSEach of 13 cases was operated on using modern microsurgery. Eleven cases among them received facial nerve reconstruction. One of the 13 cases lost follow-up. Others had no residue or recurrence. The House-Brackmann grades of the cases received facial nerve reconstruction were II through V. Spearman rank-order correlation showed the postoperative facial nerve function was correlated with the preoperative duration of facial nerve paralysis (r = 0.925, P = 0.000) and the preoperative facial nerve function(r = 0.712, P = 0.021). Mann-Whitney U test showed that the tumor position had no effect on the postoperative facial nerve function (P = 0.889).

CONCLUSIONSAmong most of the patients who received microsurgery of facial nerve schwannoma, facial nerve functions could be restored to great extent. The longer the preoperative duration of facial nerve paralysis or the worse the preoperative facial nerve function, the worse the postoperative facial nerve function in cases who received facial nerve resection and reconstruction. Facial nerve reconstruction was helpful for the patient with facial nerve schwannoma whose facial muscles were denervated but have fibrillation potentials, as well as for the patient whose facial nerve schwannoma intruded internal acoustic canal.