Surgery helped two women in their 80s with a large nerve tumor
Original title: Surgical treatment of large vestibular schwannomas with hydrocephalus in octogenarians: Two cases with favorable functional outcomes.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
This is a report on two patients who had surgery, not a trial.
The short version
Two women in their 80s could walk on their own again after surgery.
What was studied. Doctors report on two women, ages 86 and 81. Each had a large tumor on a nerve near the ear. Each also had extra fluid built up in the brain. Both had surgery to take out as much tumor as was safe.
What they found. The surgeons watched the face nerve during surgery and stopped when the signal dropped. Neither woman had face muscle trouble that mattered afterward. Both were able to walk on their own again. Scans showed the fluid buildup got better. In the second case, a thinking test score went from 11 to 24. The first woman was still doing well 5.9 years after surgery. The second was doing well at 8 months.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: Age by itself may not rule out this surgery. For some carefully chosen people in their 80s, surgery may help them walk and think better. Any choice like this depends on your own health and your own care team.
What it doesn't mean: This is a report on two patients, not a study with a group of people. Two good results do not prove that surgery works this well for others. It does not mean surgery is right for everyone this age with this tumor. This is not a cure, and it is not a promise of the same result for you.
Source: PubMed, September 25, 2026 · Read the original
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