Question: A 40 year old female is evaluated for unilateral hearing loss and tinnitus. Audiogram reveals profound right sided hearing loss and very poor word understanding. MRI is performed and reveals a T1 isointense, T2 hypointense, enhancing lesion in the basal turn of the cochlea, vestibule, and distal internal auditory canal, measuring 6 mm in the IAC. She has no history of unusual exposures or recent infections. What is the ideal approach to a lesion of this type with the lowest risk of facial weakness?

a) Translabyrinthine

b) Transcochlear

c) Transotic

d) Retrosigmoid

[Answer will be posted with next week's new question]

Answer to last week's question, “Not Just Tonsillitis" (June 3, 2019)