Arachnoid Cyst of Internal Auditory Canal: how the Temporal Bone Findings Explain Ear Symptoms and Suggest the Best Treatment to do

Abstract

Objective: Aim of this short review is to identify relevant findings in clinical and surgical treatment studying arachnoid cyst of internal auditory canal.
Study design: Retrospective study of relevant papers in literature.
Methods: PubMed and Google Scholar searches using the following keywords: arachnoid cyst, internal auditory canal, temporal bones study, schwannoma of internal auditory canal, cystic schwannoma, MRI findings, surgery of internal auditory canal. Only the article where three keywords, included always arachnoid cyst, were considered. The study analyzed the etiopatho-genesis of arachnoid cyst, hearing and vestibular symptoms and temporal bone findings.
Review and conclusion: The author identified and reviewed a total of 46 articles. The results showed high incidence of hearing loss that was the more common symptom than vestibular one. Arachnoid cyst carried out more compression on the vestibular nerves than on the cochlear one. The review allowed us to identify which mechanism of damage arachnoid cyst acting on the nerves. It is necessary to consider the arachnoids cyst in differential diagnosis with tumors and pathologies involving the internal auditory canal.