Prognostic factors for outcome of benign skull base lesions: The vestibular schwannoma model

Abstract: Skull base tumors comprise different pathological entities, making establishment of management guidelines challenging. All trials to define the ideal outcome measurement which can be reflected on treatment and prognosis improvement, are not conclusive with a lot of methodological criticism.In this thesis, I took vestibular schwannoma (homogenous pathology, different skull base approaches, may affect multiple cranial nerves) as a model for skull base tumors to study outcomes and their measures. We used different categories of outcomes: neurological, functional and quality of life using retrospective and prospective data collection.I could elicit a new work capacity score, novel morbidity score, independent life score and facial analogue scale. Some of them reproduced in more than one article. With testing of these outcome measures against a battery of per operative factors aiming to find out prognostic factors that may steer management line in vestibular schwannoma in particular and skull base tumors in general.To conclude, new methods not discussed or used before for this pathology were introduced. Indeed, further work is needed, using these new measures to validate them and making them reproducible.