Stereotactic radiosurgery for nonvestibular schwannomas

Can Trigeminal Schwannoma-Related Symptoms be Controlled With Gamma Knife Radiosurgery?

OBJECTIVE

The effectiveness of gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) for the management of trigeminal schwannomas (TS) has been established. Although GKRS has been shown to inhibit tumor growth, the effect of GKRS on the symptoms caused by TS has not been sufficiently studied. In this study, symptomatic changes following GKRS for the management of symptomatic TS were investigated using long-term follow-up results.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was performed on 32 patients with TS who underwent GKRS between May 1994 and December 2016. Clinical charts, radiographic results, and surgical records were reviewed. To evaluate whether symptoms improved after GKRS, patient demographics, GKRS profile, radiological tumor size change, and tumor location were analyzed.

RESULTS

Tumor control after GKRS for symptomatic TS was 87%. The improvement rates for facial pain at 6, 12, and 24 months after GKRS were 46%, 72%, and 86%, respectively. For the same time intervals, facial hypesthesia improved by 12%, 46%, and 52%, respectively. Of the patients with diplopia, 17% had improved symptoms 12 months after GKRS, and 50% of the patients improved after 24 months.

CONCLUSIONS

GKRS can be an effective treatment modality for TS tumor control and shows favorable results in improving TS-related symptom, especially facial pain.

Gamma knife radiosurgery for trigeminal schwannomas: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) has been deemed as the gold standard stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) mode for the treatment of intracranial tumors, cerebrovascular diseases and brain functional diseases. Our study was aimed to systematically evaluate the efficacy, safety, and complications of gamma knife radiosurgery for trigeminal schwannomas.

METHOD

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to analyze the clinical outcomes of patients with trigeminal schwannomas treated primarily or adjunctly with GKRS. We searched two databases, Pubmed and Embase, for studies published before January 1, 2021, using GKRS for trigeminal schwannomas. Studies reporting treatment of other schwannomas, or other forms of SRS such as linear accelerator and Cyberknife were excluded to reduce its heterogeneity.

RESULTS

Our search achieved 351 studies, of which 35 were assessed for full-text eligibility. 19 studies were included in the meta-analysis. 456 of 504 patients (0.94, 95% CI 0.91-0.96, I² = 3.02%, p < 0.01) from 18 studies had local control, and 278 of 489 patients (0.63, 95%CI 0.48-0.78, I² = 88.75%, p < 0.01) from 16 studies experienced tumor regression or disappearance. 231 of 499 patients (0.50, 95% CI 0.37-0.62; I² = 83.89%, P < 0.01) from 17 studies had clinical symptoms improved. There was no significant difference in tumor control between those treated with GKRS as either primary treatment or adjuvant to surgery(p = 0.390).

CONCLUSION

GKRS is an efficacious primary and adjuvant method of treating trigeminal schwannomas, with reliable tumor control rates. Randomized controlled trials are needed to further and comprehensively evaluate the benefit-to-risk ratio of gamma knife radiosurgery.

The Preoperative Diagnostic Value of MRI and Otoneural Tests in Acoustic Neuroma

Objectives

To determine the preoperative diagnostic accuracy of MRI and otoneural tests (ONT) for acoustic neuroma (AN) in a cohort of unselected patients with pontocerebellar angle tumors. To find a convenient way to screening out the potential asymptomatic AN patient earlier.

Design

This diagnostic accuracy study was performed in a central hospital and included a consecutive sample of unilateral incipient pontocerebellar angle tumor patients referred for MRI and ONT before surgery. Different AN features of MRI and ONT were collected and concluded into preoperative diagnostic variables or variable combinations. Those of MRI and ONT are analyzed and compared with biopsy results by multivariable receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The early-stage group, the course of which is 1 year or less, was separately computed and compared.

Results

Eighty-three subjects were collected from June 2013 to June 2019; 62 were confirmed AN postoperatively by biopsy, whereas others are not AN. The area under the curve (AUC) of MRI was 0.611, whereas the AUC of ONT was 0.708. In the early-stage group, the AUC of MRI was 0.539, and the AUC of ONT was 0.744.

Conclusions

ONT was able to identify more subjects affected by unilateral incipient AN than MRI preoperatively. Given that ONT is a functional test for internal auditory canal nerves, it is an optimal screening test for AN patients because it provides more information than MRI for the further clinical plan. It is particularly noteworthy for identifying asymptomatic AN patients and for early stage. Therefore, it may help more patients from unnessesary surgery. Furthermore, an MRI follow-up is suggested if the patient was found alert in ONT.

Surgery versus radiosurgery for facial nerve schwannoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis of facial nerve function, postoperative complications, and progression

OBJECTIVE

Intracranial facial nerve schwannomas (FNS) requiring treatment are frequently recommended for surgery or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). The objective of this study was to compare facial nerve function outcomes between these two interventions for FNS via a systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

A search of the Ovid EMBASE, PubMed, SCOPUS, and Cochrane databases from inception to July 2019 was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Articles were screened against prespecified criteria. Facial nerve outcomes were classified as improved, stabilized, or worsened by last follow-up. Incidence was pooled by random-effects meta-analysis of proportions.

RESULTS

Thirty-three articles with a pooled cohort of 519 patients with FNS satisfied all criteria. Twenty-five articles described operative outcomes in 407 (78%) patients; 10 articles reported SRS outcomes in 112 (22%). In the surgical cohort, facial nerve function improved in 23% (95% CI 15%-32%), stabilized in 41% (95% CI 32%-50%), and worsened in 30% (95% CI 21%-40%). In the SRS cohort, facial nerve function was improved in 20% (95% CI 9%-34%), stable in 66% (95% CI 54%-78%), and worsened in 9% (95% CI 3%-16%). Compared with SRS, microsurgery was associated with a significantly lower incidence of stable facial nerve function (p < 0.01) and a significantly higher incidence of worsened facial nerve function (p < 0.01). Tumor progression and complication rates were comparable. Outcome certainty assessments were very low to moderate for all parameters.

CONCLUSIONS

Unfavorable facial nerve function outcomes are associated with surgical treatment of intracranial FNS, whereas stable facial nerve function outcomes are associated with SRS. Therefore, SRS should be recommended to patients with FNS who require treatment, and surgery should be reserved for patients with another indication, such as decompression of the brainstem. Further study is required to definitively optimize and validate management strategies for these rare skull base tumors.

Adaptive Hybrid Surgery: Paradigm Shift for Patient-centered Neurosurgery

The surgical management of cerebral and skull base lesions has evolved greatly in the last few decades. Still, a complete resection of lesions abutting critical neurovascular structures carries significant morbidity. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has emerged as an increasingly accepted treatment option. Minimally invasive, SRS results in excellent tumor control and low complication rates in patients with moderate-size tumors. The management of large cerebral and skull base tumors remains a formidable challenge. In such large tumors, radical surgical extirpation offers a significantly higher risk of neurological deficit, and SRS alone cannot be used because of the elevated incidence of radiation-induced complications known to be associated with large-volume tumors. With increasing treatment volumes, SRS-associated tumor control rates decrease and complication rates increase. Planned subtotal resection (STR) with adjuvant SRS (adaptive hybrid surgery [AHS]) has gained increasing interest in recent years as a multimodal approach. In AHS, a planned STR (aimed at decreasing surgical morbidity) followed by SRS to a preplanned residual tumor aids in harnessing advantages offered by both approaches. Although intuitive and reasonable, this paradigm shift from maximal resection at all cost has not been adopted widely. Combining open microsurgery with SRS requires a good understanding of both surgical and SRS modalities and their respective safety-efficacy features. We present a review and discussion on AHS as a modern, multidisciplinary treatment approach. Available data and views are discussed for vestibular schwannoma (VS) as a sample tumor. Other indications for AHS are mentioned in brief.

Upfront Gamma Knife surgery for facial nerve schwannomas: retrospective case series analysis and systematic review

INTRODUCTION

Facial nerve schwannomas are rare tumors and account for less than 2% of intracranial neurinomas, despite being the most common tumors of the facial nerve. The optimal management is currently under debate and includes observation, microsurgical resection, radiosurgery (RS), and fractionated radiotherapy. Radiosurgery might be a valuable alternative, as a minimally invasive technique, in symptomatic patients and/or presenting tumor growth.

METHODS

We review our series of four consecutive cases, treated with Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) between July 2010 and July 2017 in Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland. Clinical and dosimetric parameters were assessed. Radiosurgery was performed using Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion. We additionally performed a systematic review, which included 23 articles and 193 treated patients from the current literrature.

RESULTS

The mean age at the time of the GKS was 44.25 years (median 43.5, range 34-56). Mean follow-up period was 31.8 months (median 36, range 3-60). Two cases presented with facial palsy and other two with hemifacial spasm. Pretherapeutically, House-Brackmann (HB) grade was II for one case, III for two, and VI for one. The mean gross tumor volume (GTV) was 0.406 ml (median 0.470 ml, range 0.030-0.638 ml). The mean marginal prescribed dose was 12 Gy at the mean 54% isodose line (median 50%, range 50-70). The mean prescription isodose volume (PIV) was 0.510 ml (median 0.596 ml, range 0.052-0.805 ml). The mean dose received by the cochlea was 4.2 Gy (median 4.1 Gy, range 0.1-10). One patient benefited from a staged-volume GKS. At last follow-up, tumor volume was stable in one and decreased in three cases. Facial palsy remained stable in two patients (one HB II and one HB III) and improved in two (from HB III to II and from HB VI to HB III). Regarding hemifacial spasm, both patients presenting one pretherapeutically had a decrease in its frequency and intensity after GKS. All patients kept stable Gardner-Robertson class 1 at last follow-up.

CONCLUSION

In our experience, RS and particularly GKS, using standard, yet low doses of radiation, appear to be a safe and effective therapeutic option in the management of these rare tumors. The results as from our systematic review are also encouraging with satisfactory rates of clinical stabilization and/or improvement and high rate of tumor control. Complications are infrequent and mostly transient.

Gamma Knife Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Nonvestibular Cranial Nerve Schwannomas

BACKGROUND

Nonvestibular cranial schwannomas represent a rare type of benign intracranial tumor. Few studies have evaluated the use of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) as a primary management option for these lesions. We performed a retrospective review of our institution's experience focusing on efficacy with regard to tumor control and clinical symptom stabilization as well as treatment safety.

METHODS

Patients were included if they underwent at least 1 SRS procedure for a nonvestibular schwannoma and had at least 6 months of available imaging follow-up. Demographic, SRS dose planning, clinical, and imaging data were collected from chart reviews of treated patients. χ² and Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed.

RESULTS

Between 2004 and 2016, 35 schwannomas were treated in 34 patients. Median follow-up was 48 months. Median age at time of treatment was 51 years. Three patients had neurofibromatosis 2. Schwannoma location was trigeminal (57%), facial (20%), jugular foramen (14%), abducens (6%), and trochlear (3%). Median margin dose delivered was 13 Gy. The 5-year and 10-year tumor control rates were 94.4% and 88.5%, respectively. Presenting clinical symptoms stabilized or improved in 79% of cases after radiosurgery, and new or worsening symptoms were seen in 21%.

CONCLUSIONS

SRS is a safe and effective modality for treatment of nonvestibular cranial nerve schwannomas.

Stereotactic radiosurgery for non-vestibular cranial nerve schwanommas

Non-vestibular cranial nerve schwannomas (NVCNS) are rare lesions, representing <10 % of cranial nerve schwannomas. The optimal treatment for NVCNS is often derived from vestibular schwannomas experience. Surgical resection has been referred to as the first line treatment for those benign tumors, but significant complication rates are reported. Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has arisen as a mainstay of treatment for many benign tumors, including schwanommas. We retrospectively reviewed the outcomes of NVCNS treated by SRS to characterize tumor control, symptom relief, toxicity, and the role of hypo-fractionation of SRS dose. Eighty-eight (88) patients, with ninety-five (95) NVCNS were treated with either single or multi-session SRS from 2001 to 2014. Local control was achieved in 94 % of patients treated (median follow-up of 33 months, range 1-155). Complications were seen in 7.4 % of cases treated with SRS. At 1-year, 57 % of patients had improvement or resolution of their symptoms, while 35 % were stable and 8 % had worsening or increased symptoms. While 42 % received only one session, results on local control were similar for one or multiple sessions (p = 0.424). SRS for NVCNS is a treatment modality that provides excellent local control with minimal complication risk compared to traditional neurosurgical techniques. Tumor control obtained with a multi-session treatment was not significantly different from single session treatment. Safety profile was also comparable for uni or multi-session treatments. We concluded that, as seen in VS treated with CK SRS, radiosurgery treatment can be safely delivered in cases of NVCNS.

Gamma Knife surgery for patients with facial nerve schwannomas: a multiinstitutional retrospective study in Japan

OBJECT

The aim of this study was to explore the efficacy and safety of stereotactic radiosurgery for patients with facial nerve schwannomas (FNSs).

METHODS

This study was a multiinstitutional retrospective analysis of 42 patients with FNSs treated with Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) at 1 of 10 medical centers of the Japan Leksell Gamma Knife Society (JLGK1301). The median age of the patients was 50 years. Twenty-nine patients underwent GKS as the initial treatment, and 13 patients had previously undergone surgery. At the time of the GKS, 33 (79%) patients had some degree of facial palsy, and 21 (50%) did not retain serviceable hearing. Thirty-five (83%) tumors were solid, and 7 (17%) had cystic components. The median tumor volume was 2.5 cm3, and the median prescription dose to the tumor margin was 12 Gy.

RESULTS

The median follow-up period was 48 months. The last follow-up images showed partial remission in 23 patients and stable tumors in 19 patients. Only 1 patient experienced tumor progression at 60 months, but repeat GKS led to tumor shrinkage. The actuarial 3- and 5-year progression-free survival rates were 100% and 92%, respectively. During the follow-up period, 8 patients presented with newly developed or worsened preexisting facial palsy. The condition was transient in 3 of these patients. At the last clinical follow-up, facial nerve function improved in 8 (19%) patients, remained stable in 29 (69%), and worsened in 5 (12%; House-Brackmann Grade III in 4 patients, Grade IV in 1 patient). With respect to hearing function, 18 (90%) of 20 evaluated patients with a pure tone average of ≤ 50 dB before treatment retained serviceable hearing.

CONCLUSIONS

GKS is a safe and effective treatment option for patients with either primary or residual FNSs. All patients, including 1 patient who required repeat GKS, achieved good tumor control at the last follow-up. The incidence of newly developed or worsened preexisting facial palsy was 12% at the last clinical follow-up. In addition, the risk of hearing deterioration as an adverse effect of radiation was low. These results suggest that GKS is a safe alternative to resection.

Gamma Knife surgery for patients with jugular foramen schwannomas: a multiinstitutional retrospective study in Japan

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of stereotactic radiosurgery in patients with jugular foramen schwannomas (JFSs). METHODS This study was a multiinstitutional retrospective analysis of 117 patients with JFSs who were treated with Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) at 18 medical centers of the Japan Leksell Gamma Knife Society. The median age of the patients was 53 years. Fifty-six patients underwent GKS as their initial treatment, while 61 patients had previously undergone resection. At the time of GKS, 46 patients (39%) had hoarseness, 45 (38%) had hearing disturbances, and 43 (36%) had swallowing disturbances. Eighty-five tumors (73%) were solid, and 32 (27%) had cystic components. The median tumor volume was 4.9 cm³, and the median prescription dose administered to the tumor margin was 12 Gy. Five patients were treated with fractionated GKS and maximum and marginal doses of 42 and 21 Gy, respectively, using a 3-fraction schedule. RESULTS The median follow-up period was 52 months. The last follow-up images showed partial remission in 62 patients (53%), stable tumors in 42 patients (36%), and tumor progression in 13 patients (11%). The actuarial 3- and 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 91% and 89%, respectively. The multivariate analysis showed that pre-GKS brainstem edema and dumbbell-shaped tumors significantly affected PFS. During the follow-up period, 20 patients (17%) developed some degree of symptomatic deterioration. This condition was transient in 12 (10%) of these patients and persistent in 8 patients (7%). The cause of the persistent deterioration was tumor progression in 4 patients (3%) and adverse radiation effects in 4 patients (3%), including 2 patients with hearing deterioration, 1 patient with swallowing disturbance, and 1 patient with hearing deterioration and hypoglossal nerve palsy. However, the preexisting hoarseness and swallowing disturbances improved in 66% and 63% of the patients, respectively. CONCLUSIONS GKS resulted in good tumor control in patients with either primary or residual JFSs. Although some patients experienced some degree of symptomatic deterioration after treatment, persistent adverse radiation effects were seen in only 3% of the entire series at the last follow-up. Lower cranial nerve deficits were extremely rare adverse radiation effects, and preexisting hoarseness and swallowing disturbances improved in two-thirds of patients. These results indicated that GKS was a safe and reasonable alternative to surgical resection in selected patients with JFSs.

Management of multiple tumors in neurofibromatosis type 2 patients

INTRODUCTION

Neurofibromatosis type 2 is characterized by the presence of bilateral vestibular schwannomas. However, other nervous system tumors may also occur. Therefore, the management of NF2 patients is complex and requires a multidisciplinary discussion in a specialized center.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All recent articles concerning tumors other than vestibular schwannoma in NF2 disease were reviewed, using PubMed databases.

RESULTS

Intracranial meningiomas occur in 50% of NF2 patients, and are often multiple. Surgery remains the main treatment and should be performed in cases of growing tumors. The role of antiangiogenic therapy is currently under evaluation and the role of radiosurgery still remains to be defined in NF2 disease. Spinal tumors occur in about half of NF2 patients. Surgery should be discussed when radiological tumor progression is demonstrated, even if spinal tumors are asymptomatic, in order to preserve neurological function and good quality of life. As regards lower cranial nerve schwannomas, radiosurgery appears to be a more appropriate treatment for growing tumor with a small volume in order to avoid post-operative complications, especially swallowing disorders. Facial nerve schwannomas may appear, on MRI, like vestibular schwannomas. The diagnosis should be suspected when the facial palsy is an early symptom during cerebello-pontine tumor progression. Trigeminal schwannomas are frequent in NF2 disease and fortunately they are often asymptomatic. Among major neurofibromatosis types, peripheral nerve sheath schwannomas are only present in patients with NF2 disease and schwannomatosis. Surgical resection is required when the cutaneous schwannomas is painful or when tumor progression is observed and causes symptoms.

CONCLUSION

Tumors other than vestibular schwannoma are also associated with a poor prognosis in NF2 patients. Surgery remains the main treatment in most cases. Each treatment decision in NF2 disease requires a complete evaluation of all cranial and spinal locations of the disease in order to establish surgical priorities and strategies.

When is an acoustic neuroma not an acoustic neuroma? Pitfalls for radiosurgeons

INTRODUCTION

Because acoustic neuroma (AN), also termed vestibular schwannoma, constitutes by far the commonest intracranial schwannoma and cerebello-pontine angle (CPA) tumour, there is a risk of overlooking rarer alternative diagnoses with similar clinical and/or radiological features. The purpose of this article is to highlight to radiosurgeons the potentially serious implications of this problem through illustrative case studies.

METHODS

Our linac stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) technique has been previously described, with stereotactic headring fixation and treatment delivered via cones or micro-multileaf collimators using multiple arcs or static beams.

RESULTS

Between November 1993 and October 2014, we treated 132 patients referred with a clinical diagnosis of AN, the vast majority with 12 Gy marginal dose. Three of these (2.3%), evident either at the time of treatment (2) or subsequently (1), had features instead consistent with cochlear schwannoma, facial schwannoma and meningioma, respectively. Each warranted significant modification to standard AN outlining and fields. The meningioma progressed due to geographic miss. One other patient with recurrent facial schwannoma (not yet needing SRS) was also referred with an incorrect diagnosis of AN.

CONCLUSION

When rare variants of common medical problems are not identified before referral, there is a risk that 'blinkering' can lead to misdiagnosis and suboptimal treatment. Radiosurgeons need to be particularly mindful of this issue with AN, which can mimic several other tumours occurring in the CPA region, albeit with different patterns of spread. Optimal imaging, high-quality radiology reporting and neuroradiology input at the time of SRS planning within the setting of a specialised multidisciplinary team are highly desirable.

A Rare Finding of Schwannoma of the Vidian Canal: A Case Report

Background Schwannomas of the vidian canal are an extremely rare type of intracranial tumor that can have variable clinical presentations including headache, facial pain, facial muscle paralysis, decreased lacrimation, or nasal dryness. We present an atypical case of an incidentally identified asymptomatic vidian canal schwannoma.

Case Description A 49-year-old woman with a history of multiple sclerosis presented for routine surveillance magnetic resonance imaging that detected an ovoid mass originating in the vidian canal. Given the unusual location of the lesion, an endoscopic endonasal biopsy was performed and confirmed the diagnosis of a vidian canal schwannoma, for which the patient chose to receive fractionated radiation therapy.

Conclusion When a vidian canal tumor is identified, endoscopic endonasal biopsy can be used to confirm the diagnosis before pursuing either surgical or radiotherapy treatment. In particular, fractionated radiation therapy offers a radiobiologically safe means of delivering radiation when there is concern for late radiation-related side effects following treatment completion.

Gamma Knife surgery for facial nerve schwannomas

OBJECT

The aim of this study was to evaluate the tumor control rate and functional outcomes after Gamma Knife surgery (GKS) among patients with a facial nerve schwannoma.

METHODS

The authors reviewed the radiological data and clinical records for 14 patients who had consecutively undergone GKS for a facial nerve schwannoma. Before GKS, 12 patients had facial palsy, 7 patients had hearing disturbance, and 5 patients had undergone partial or subtotal tumor resection. The mean and median tumor volumes were 3707 mm(3) and 3000 mm(3), respectively (range 117-10,100 mm(3)). The mean tumor margin dose was 13.2 Gy (range 12-15 Gy), and the mean maximum tumor dose was 26.4 Gy (range 24-30 Gy). The mean follow-up period was 80.7 months (range 2-170 months).

RESULTS

Control of tumor growth was achieved in all 12 (100%) patients who were followed up for longer than 2 years. After GKS, facial nerve function improved in 2 patients, remained unchanged in 9 patients, and worsened in 3 patients. All patients who had had serviceable hearing at the preliminary examination maintained their hearing at a useful level after GKS. Other than mild tinnitus reported by 3 patients, no other major complications developed.

CONCLUSIONS

GKS for facial nerve schwannomas resulted in excellent tumor control rates and functional outcomes. GKS might be a good primary treatment option for patients with a small- to medium-sized facial nerve schwannoma when facial nerve function and hearing are relatively preserved.

Diagnostic Approach, Treatment, and Outcomes of Cervical Sympathetic Chain Schwannomas

Objective

This review examined the diagnostic approach, surgical treatment, and outcomes of cervical sympathetic chain schwannomas (CSCS) to guide clinical decision making.

Data Sources

Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases.

Review Methods

A literature review from 1998 to 2013 identified 156 articles of which 51 representing 89 CSCS cases were evaluated in detail. Demographic, clinical, and outcomes data were extracted by 2 independent reviewers with high interrater reliability (κ = .79). Cases were mostly international (82%), predominantly from Asia (50%) and Europe (27%).

Conclusions

On average, patients were 42.6 years old (SD = 13.3) and had a neck mass ranging between 2 to 4 cm (52.7%) or >4 cm (43.2%). Nearly 70% of cases were asymptomatic at presentation. Presurgical diagnosis relied on CT (63.4%), MRI (59.8%), or both (19.5%), supplemented by cytology (33.7%), which was nearly always inconclusive (96.7%). US-treated cases were significantly more likely to receive presurgical MRI than internationally treated cases but less likely to have cytology ( P < .05). Presurgical diagnosis was challenging, with only 11% confirmatory accuracy postsurgically. Irrespective of mass size, extracapsular resection (ie, complete resection with nerve sacrifice) was the most frequently (87.6%) performed surgical procedure. Common postsurgical adverse events included Horner’s syndrome (91.1%), first bite syndrome (21.1%), or both (15.7%), with higher prevalence when mass size was >4 cm. Adverse events persisted in 82.3% of cases at an average 30.0 months (SD = 30.1) follow-up time.

Implications for Practice

Given the typical CSCS patient is young and asymptomatic and the likelihood of persistent morbidity is high with standard surgical approaches, less invasive treatment options warrant consideration.