Epidemiology of the vestibular schwannomas in Ukraine and our experience of surgical and radiosurgical treatment

Aim: Figuring out the occurrence of vestibular schwannomas (VS) and their management tendencies in Ukraine.Materials and methods: Data about VS detection and treatment were collected among all Ukrainian neurosurgical and radiological facilities which are enrolled in providing care for these patients. Together with those who were treated overseas the total number in 2016-2018 was 903 people. There were 665 cases (73.6 %) treated surgically, 124 cases (13.8 %) irradiated and 114 (12.6 %) observed via serial imaging.Results: The prevalence of VS in Ukraine is about 7.27 per 1 million people which corresponds to data around the world (CBTRUS trial suggested VS incidence 10-20 people per 1 million during 2004-2009).Most of verified VSs were treated surgically (73.6 %), lesser part was irradiated (13.8 %) and 12.7 % were followed-up by wait-and-scan strategy. Our data regarding surgical management was higher than worldwide. At the same time, the volume of detected tumors was much larger in comparison to published data. Seventy-three per cent of all cases were Koos T4 tumors as a possible result of poor diagnosis and lack of alertness making surgical interventions more common and difficult.Total and subtotal resection rate was 79 % as the result of combined microsurgical and endoscopic techniques under intraoperative electrophysiological neuromonitoring guidance. The facial nerve was preserved in 94.2 % of cases, cochlear — in 8.5 % of cases. The average mortality rate during 2016-2018 in Ukraine was 3.1 % with 1.3 % in Subtentorial Neurooncology Department of the Romodanov Neurosurgery Institute.Conclusions: For further improvements and development of optimal management strategies for patients with VS, it is necessary to improve earlier diagnosis and reasonable to provide neurosurgical care in high-volume centers based on the profound expertise with further advances in technologies for functionally favorable outcomes.