Abstract
Vestibular schwannoma (VS) surgery requires deep knowledge and experience for surgeons to accomplish properly. Moreover, due to the recent trend of conservative management favored over aggressive surgery in the treatment of VS, it has become quite difficult for young skull base surgeon to pile up experiences for such surgeries.
I graduated from medical school and started my ENT training in 2003 with a future goal of VS removal by myself, being motivated by my own experience of having received VS surgery (size: 2cm) when I was a medical student. After 5 years training in Tohoku university hospital, as well as other institutes in Japan (one year at a neurosurgery hospital) and in Europe (Gruppo Otologico, Piacenza, Italy), I have now become capable of performing such surgeries, and already achieved more than 30 cases of tumor removal of vestibular schwannomas.
Early exposure to surgical centers under excellent mentors is desirable for otology, neurotology and skull base.
