Intratumoral hemorrhage in vestibular schwannomas post-radiosurgery: a systematic review

Vestibular schwannomas (VS) are benign tumors affecting the vestibulocochlear nerve. They cause symptoms like hearing loss and vertigo. Treatment options include surgery and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). However, SRS can lead to rare complications like intratumoral hemorrhage (ITH). This review aims to explore ITH post-SRS, including its incidence and risk factors, to improve patient care.

Audiologists and vestibular specialists should be aware that intratumoral hemorrhage (bleeding within the tumor) is a recognized post-radiosurgery complication of vestibular schwannoma that can cause acute hearing loss and vertigo, warranting prompt referral for neuroimaging if sudden symptom change occurs post-treatment.

As radiosurgery becomes an increasingly common management option for vestibular schwannomas, understanding the incidence and clinical presentation of post-treatment hemorrhage is important for multidisciplinary teams monitoring these patients.

1. 01Systematic review synthesizes evidence on intratumoral hemorrhage (bleeding inside the tumor) following radiosurgery for vestibular schwannomas.
2. 02Key symptoms reviewed include hearing loss and vertigo (severe spinning dizziness) after bleeding events.
3. 03Radiosurgery (e.g., Gamma Knife) is a common non-surgical treatment for vestibular schwannoma.
4. 04The review covers treatment outcomes for this complication across all identified cases.
5. 05Findings are directly relevant to audiologists monitoring post-radiosurgery schwannoma patients.

PMID

42363296

DOI

10.1186/s41016-026-00439-5.

Journal

Chinese Neurosurgical Journal

Publication type

review

Evidence level

2a

Population

Patients with vestibular schwannomas treated with radiosurgery who experienced intratumoral hemorrhage

Intervention

Radiosurgery for vestibular schwannoma