Intracochlear schwannoma and cochlear implantation.

A case of intracochlear schwannoma in a 58-year-old candidate for cochlear implantation is described. The tumor was located in the basal turn of the cochlea and was discovered only during surgery. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging obtained prior to surgery failed to detect the tumor. Intralabyrinthine schwannomas are rare tumors that grow either in the vestibule, as intravestibular schwannomas, or in the cochlea, as intracochlear schwannomas. Complete removal of this tumor was achieved through a posterior tympanotomy approach. Cochlear implantation, which resulted in good hearing, was successfully performed 3 years later.