Deliberate incomplete resection of vestibular schwannoma (VS) is increasingly accepted to preserve cranial nerve function, but the long-term behaviour of remnants remains uncertain. We describe the natural history of residual VS during extended radiological surveillance.
✦ The floor
Discussion
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Long-term surveillance imaging should be maintained for residual vestibular schwannoma after incomplete resection, as delayed progression can occur; clinicians managing these patients should avoid early discharge from follow-up.
Delayed regrowth of residual vestibular schwannoma challenges the assumption that stable early post-operative imaging predicts long-term quiescence, with implications for surveillance protocols.
- 01Retrospective study of residual vestibular schwannoma after incomplete microsurgical resection.
- 02Delayed tumor progression was observed during long-term surveillance.
- 03Published in World Neurosurgery (2026); PMID 42880708.
- 04Findings argue against early discontinuation of imaging follow-up.
- 05No sample size or specific growth rate data provided in available description.
Residual vestibular schwannoma can undergo delayed progression long after incomplete microsurgical resection.
studysupported- PMID
- 42880708
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.wneu.2026.125421.
- Journal
- World Neurosurgery
- Publication type
- research_article
- Evidence level
- 4
- Population
- Patients with residual vestibular schwannoma following incomplete microsurgical resection
- Intervention
- Long-term surveillance after incomplete microsurgical resection of vestibular schwannoma
Primary outcomes
Tumor progression rate during surveillance; Time to delayed progression