To compare clinical outcomes of vestibular schwannoma (VS) resection with the operating microscope versus an exoscope.
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
Preliminary retrospective data only; no actionable change in surgical approach is warranted until prospective or multi-center evidence confirms equivalence or superiority of the exoscope.
Exoscopes are increasingly entering neurotology suites, and comparative outcome data—even retrospective—helps surgeons and teams evaluate whether adoption is justified.
- 01Retrospective single-center cohort comparing exoscope vs. microscope for retrosigmoid vestibular schwannoma resection.
- 02Published in Otology & Neurotology (MAO), a peer-reviewed surgical subspecialty journal.
- 03Study design limits causal inference; selection bias between surgical approaches is possible.
- 04Outcomes likely include hearing preservation, facial nerve function, and tumor resection extent.
- 05Findings may inform early adopters but cannot replace RCT-level evidence.
Exoscopic retrosigmoid surgery produces comparable clinical outcomes to microscopic surgery for vestibular schwannoma resection.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42757683
- DOI
- 10.1097/MAO.0000000000005073.
- Journal
- Otology & Neurotology
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 2b
- Population
- Patients undergoing retrosigmoid vestibular schwannoma resection at a single center
- Intervention
- Exoscopic retrosigmoid vestibular schwannoma surgery
- Comparator
- Microscopic retrosigmoid vestibular schwannoma surgery
Primary outcomes
Clinical outcomes of vestibular schwannoma resection (e.g., hearing preservation, facial nerve function, extent of resection)