Successful management and delivery in a pregnant woman with brain schwannoma: A clinical case

Abstract

Relevance: Vestibular schwannoma (neurinoma of the auditory nerve, acoustic neurinoma, acoustic schwannoma) is a benign, slow-growing brain tumor that develops from the neurilemma of the upper portion of the vestibulocochlear nerve (VIII pair of cranial nerves), located 8-10 mm from the brain stem, near the inner ear canal. In 90% of cases, it is a unilateral tumor that develops due to genetic disorders in the 22nd chromosome. The combination of pregnancy with a brain tumor is scarce and ranges from 1 case per 13-17 thousand newborns. In this case, the lives of the mother and fetus are at risk. This situation is associated with many complex obstetric, oncological, and ethical issues related to the treatment
of the disease and the management of pregnancy.
The study aimed to determine the features of the management of pregnancy and childbirth in a pregnant woman with schwannoma of the brain using a clinical case as an example.
Materials and Methods: The article describes a favorable outcome of surgical treatment of cerebral schwannoma during pregnancy in weeks 25-26. The features of the tactics of pregnancy and childbirth were analyzed.
Results: At 37 weeks of pregnancy, the patient spontaneously delivered a live full-term fetus, weighing 2600 grams, height 49 cm. A positive result was obtained after the neurosurgical intervention.
Conclusion: It should be noted that an interdisciplinary approach and surgical treatment of brain schwannoma allow one to prolong pregnancy to full term. Delivery in this clinical case occurred at 37 weeks of gestation due to the independent development of labor with a favorable outcome for the mother and newborn. Subsequently, the patient was observed by an outpatient neurologist.