Vestibular schwannoma surgery poses a significant challenge for hearing and facial function preservation. Prophylactic nimodipine has been studied as a pharmacologic strategy to protect cranial nerve function after hearing preservation surgery, but it has not been thoroughly evaluated....
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
Evidence is insufficient to recommend prophylactic nimodipine for hearing or facial nerve preservation in vestibular schwannoma surgery; a well-controlled prospective trial is needed before any practice change.
If confirmed in prospective trials, prophylactic nimodipine could offer a simple pharmacological strategy to reduce hearing and facial nerve morbidity from vestibular schwannoma surgery.
- 01Retrospective cohort study evaluating nimodipine given before vestibular schwannoma surgery.
- 02Outcomes assessed include post-operative hearing preservation and facial nerve function.
- 03Published in Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology (2026).
- 04Retrospective design introduces significant selection and confounding bias.
- 05Nimodipine is already approved for other indications, so repurposing is conceptually feasible.
Prophylactic nimodipine may preserve hearing and facial nerve function following vestibular schwannoma surgery.
studypartially supported- PMID
- 42806561
- DOI
- 10.1177/00034894261491080.
- Journal
- Annals of Otology, Rhinology & Laryngology
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 2b
- Population
- Patients undergoing surgical resection of vestibular schwannoma
- Intervention
- Prophylactic nimodipine administered perioperatively
- Comparator
- Patients not receiving nimodipine
Primary outcomes
Post-operative hearing preservation; Facial nerve function preservation