A patient with a large acoustic neuroma presented with significant brainstem compression. During microsurgical resection, an unexpected complication occurred — severe intraoperative bleeding, forcing the surgical team to abort the operation after removing only a small portion of the tumor. Postoperative pathology confirmed schwannoma.

Shortly after surgery, the lead neurosurgeon personally called me, explaining the situation: “For the patient's safety, we had to stop the operation. A second surgery in a few months would be extremely difficult for the patient. Could CyberKnife be an option?”

Drawing on my experience treating over 10,000 patients with Gamma Knife and more than 10 years of CyberKnife experience managing complex and challenging cases, I reassured the professor: “Please rest assured — we are confident that CyberKnife can safely and effectively treat this large tumor with excellent long-term results.” We designed a two-stage CyberKnife treatment plan to maximize tumor control while minimizing nerve injury: a moderate dose in the first phase, followed by a lower booster dose 18 months later. Throughout the course, we maintained close clinical follow-up, promptly addressing any symptoms that arose. The patient safely passed the transient tumor-swelling phase after radiosurgery. One and a half years later, the patient underwent CyberKnife treatment again.

Now, five years after CyberKnife treatment, the patient returned to my clinic in excellent condition — no facial nerve palsy, facial numbness significantly improved, hearing remained unchanged, but overall mental and physical wellbeing excellent.

Follow-up MRI scans showed the tumor had shrunk by approximately 80%, and because of the high cumulative radiation dose, the risk of recurrence is estimated to be below 5%. Over time, the tumor is expected to continue shrinking further.

Below are MRI images from the time of CyberKnife treatment and from the most recent follow-up scan.