Best Doctors in India for Acoustic Neuroma Treatment
Best Hospitals in India for Acoustic Neuroma Treatment
- City: Bengaluru, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Fortis Hospital Bannerghatta, Bengaluru was established in 2006.
- The hospital is a 276 bedded multi-specialty tertiary care facility.
- The hospital specializes in cutting-edge medical technology and dedicated patient care services.
- The hospital is equipped with state-of-the-art technologies like trans-radial angioplasty, trans-abdominal cardiac surgery, and computerized TKR navigation surgery.
- The hospital provides specialty medical services in cardiology, cardiac surgery, orthopedics, neurology, neuro-surgery, GI, and Minimal Access Surgery (MAS).
- City: Chennai, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Fortis Malar was established in 1992 and was formerly known as Malar Hospital.
- The hospital specializes in cutting-edge medical technology and dedicated patient care services.
- The hospital is multi-specialty, tertiary care facility with 180 beds.
- The hospital offers comprehensive medical care in specialties such as cardiology, cardio-thoracic surgery, neurology, neurosurgery, orthopedics, nephrology, gynecology, gastroenterology, urology, pediatrics, and diabetes.
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Established in 1996, Pushpawati Singhania Research Institute is one of the top hospitals in the NCR region, as well as one of the top facilities in India for gastroenterology. The hospital is one of South Asia’s first institutes in medical and surgical treatment for diseases related to digestion.
- The hospital is equipped with state-of-the art facilities coupled with the latest equipment as well as renowned consultants from various parts of India as well as other parts of the world.
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- State-of-the-art technology and devoted healthcare professionals have been brought together under one roof at Venkateshwar Hospital to provide genuine medical care. The hospital’s professionals work together as a team to deliver the best possible treatment to their patients, using the most sophisticated equipment and information technology.
- Venkateshwar Hospital’s mission is to attain global excellence in healthcare by employing evidence-based, ethical clinical practices and cutting-edge technology by a team of highly skilled experts.
- City: New Delhi, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi is known to provide the latest medical procedures with the latest technology in all of its units.
- The hospital has a team of reputed doctors, nurses, and healthcare professionals that ensure that patients receive quality care at affordable costs.
- Staffed with a team of highly qualified doctors, dedicated nurses, and paramedical and non-medical staff, the hospital aims to lead in healthcare delivery, medical education, training, and research.
- As per the vision of the founder, the hospital also provides free treatment to the economically weaker sections of society.
- Sir Ganga Ram Hospital also provides training to young doctors under the Diplomate in National Board(DNB) program. The DNB program at the hospital was started in 1984 and it is known for currently running the maximum number of DNB specialties in the country. It also has the distinction of having the first bone bank in India.
- City: Kerala, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Established in 2019, Apollo Adlux Hospital is the first Apollo Hospital in Kerala and the 73rd hospital owned by Apollo Group in India. With the state’s most advanced, comprehensive healthcare infrastructure and cutting-edge technologies, Apollo Adlux Hospital stands as an example of medical excellence in Kerala.
- With over 34 multi-specialty departments, the hospital believes in providing the best quality treatment to its patients at affordable rates, ensuring comfort at their difficult times.
- The 300-bed hospital is managed by a team of highly qualified and experienced experts who delivers exceptional hospitality to their patients and treats them with great compassion.
- With its affiliation with the Apollo Hospitals Group, the hospital aims in providing patients with top-notch healthcare services while also serving communities in Kerala.
- The hospital has good railway and road connections, and is conveniently close to Cochin International Airport.
- City: Gurugram, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Situated near DLF Cyber City, Gurugram, Narayana Superspecialty Hospital is one of the top medical facilities in the Delhi NCR region, catering to the needs of the people. Known for its commitment to quality medical care and patient service, the hospital is a state-of-the-art facility with planned and well-equipped sections, which includes a spacious OPD area as well as comfortable patient rooms.
- It is the closest super-specialty hospital from Indira Gandhi International Airport towards Gurugram, and also the nearest super specialty hospital from DLF Cyber City. It is also close to major residential areas in Gurugram.
- It is part of the renowned Narayana Health Group. Established in 2000, by Dr. Devi Shetty, a renowned cardiac surgeon, it has grown to be one fo India’s leading healthcare groups.
- City: Noida, India
Hospital Highlights:
- Fortis Hospital, Noida, stands as one of the oldest and most trusted healthcare institutions in the region, setting a benchmark for comprehensive medical care.
- As the second mega hub hospital in the Fortis Healthcare Group, Fortis Hospital, Noida, upholds a legacy of trust among more than 1.2 million patients. By integrating top-tier professionals with cutting-edge technology, the hospital delivers superior treatment across various medical disciplines.
- Specializing in advanced Neurosciences, Orthopedics, Kidney and Liver Transplant Programmes, Fortis Hospital, Noida has successfully performed over 1,500 transplants, solidifying its reputation as a leader in specialized medical interventions.
ACOUSTIC NEUROMA
Acoustic neuroma is a noncancerous growth which can develop on the eighth cranial nerve. Also termed as the vestibulocochlear nerve, it is known to connect the inner ear with the brain, and it consists of two different parts. While one part is responsible for the transmission of sound, the other part helps to send balance information from the inner ear to the brain.
Acoustic neuromas, which may also be termed vestibular schwannomas, or neurilemmomas, generally grow slowly over a period of years. They may not actually invade the brain, but they can push on it as they continue to grow. Larger tumors can press on the nearby cranial nerves that control the muscle of facial expression as well as sensation. If the tumors get large enough to press on the brain stem or the cerebellum, then they can be quite deadly.
Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of acoustic neuroma are mostly subtle, and it can take several years to fully develop. They generally arise from the tumor’s effects on the hearing and balance nerves. Pressure caused by the tumor on the adjacent nerves that control the facial muscles and sensation, brain structures, or nearby blood structures can also cause problems.
As the tumor continues to grow, it might be more likely to cause more noticeable or severe signs and symptoms. Some of the common signs and symptoms of an acoustic neuroma can include the following:
- Hearing loss, which is usually gradual. However, in some cases, it may be sudden. It might also occur on only one side or more pronounced on one side.
- Ringing in the affected ear which is also termed as tinnitus
- Facial numbness and very rarely, weakness or loss of muscle movement
- Unsteadiness, or loss of balance
- Dizziness, which can also be termed as vertigo
In some rare cases, an acoustic neuroma can even grow large enough and compress the brainstem, which may become life-threatening.
If you notice significant hearing loss in one ear, ringing in your ear, or trouble with your balance, then you should consider seeing your doctor soon.
Early diagnosis of an acoustic neuroma might help in keeping the tumor from growing large enough to cause any serious consequences, such as total hearing loss or a life-threatening buildup of fluid within the skull.
Causes
Two types of acoustic neuroma exist: a sporadic form and a form associated with a syndrome which is known as neurofibromatosis type II (NF2). NF2 is an inherited disorder that is characterized by the growth of noncancerous tumors in one’s nervous system. Acoustic neuromas are also known to be the most common of these tumors and they generally occur in both ears by the age of 30.
NF2 is a rare disorder, and it accounts for only around 5 percent of acoustic neuromas. This means the vast majority of the cases are the sporadic form. Doctors are however uncertain what exactly leads to this sporadic form. One of the known risk factors for this condition is exposure to high doses of radiation, especially to one’s head or neck.
Diagnosis
In the early stages, it is generally difficult to diagnose acoustic neuroma, since signs and symptoms might be subtle and can develop over time gradually. Some of the common symptoms include hearing loss, which is associated with several middle and inner ear problems.
After you ask questions about your symptoms, your doctor will be conducting an ear exam. Your doctor might order the following tests.
Hearing test (audiometry)
Imaging
Treatment
There are three main courses of treatment which are used for acoustic neuroma:
- Observation
- Surgery
- Radiation therapy
Observation
Surgery
Surgery for acoustic neuromas involves removing the entire or part of the tumor.
Three main surgical approaches exist, for the removal of an acoustic neuroma:
Translabyrinthine
Translabyrinthine involves making an incision behind the ear and then removing the bone behind the ear along with some of the middle ear. This procedure is generally used for tumors which are larger than 3 centimeters. The upside of this approach is that it can allow the surgeon to see an important cranial nerve or the facial nerve quite clearly before he/she removes the tumor. The downside to this technique is that it causes permanent hearing loss.
Retrosigmoid/sub-occipital
Retrosigmoid/sub-occipital method involves exposing the back of the tumor by opening the skull near the back of one’s head. This approach can be used in order to remove tumors of any size and it also offers the possibility of preserving one’s hearing ability.
Middle fossa
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy might be recommended in certain cases for acoustic neuromas. Due to state-of-the-art delivery techniques, it is possible to send high doses of radiation to the tumor while at the same time, limiting exposure and damage to any surrounding tissue.
The tumor’s growth might slow or stop or it might even shrink, however, the radiation doesn’t remove the tumor completely.
Complications
An acoustic neuroma can lead to a variety of permanent complications, which can include the following:
- Hearing loss
- Ringing in the ear
- Facial numbness and/.or weakness
- Difficulties with balance
Large tumors may press on your brainstem, which can prevent the normal flow of fluid between the brain and the spinal cord. In this case, fluid may build up in your head, which can increase the pressure inside the skull.