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Surgeon says Kelly Stafford prognosis is good, hearing loss could be one long-term issue

Posted at 6:17 PM, Apr 03, 2019
and last updated 2019-04-04 06:57:02-04

DETROIT (WXYZ) — Kelly Stafford shocked everyone when she posted on social media that she has a brain tumor and is terrified about having brain surgery.

Dr. Seilesh Babu of Ascension Providence Hospital and the Michigan Ear institute says her prognosis is good.

“The biggest dilemma she may face is hearing loss in the long term. There’s a slight chance in recurrence of the tumor that’s very unlikely. And there’s a risk to the facial nerve but that’s a very low risk,” he says.

Dr. Babu says where she goes for treatment will be important. Kelly Stafford has not said where she will have surgery. Dr. Babu says his hospital group Ascension Providence is a leader in the field and is right here in Metro Detroit.

“As a group we do about 150 of these a year. We have the largest training center in the country for this. We do a large volume of this type of surgery. Treatments are very good. And outcomes are fantastic,” the doctor said.

He looked at the MRI Kelly Stafford posted and said, “It does look like an acoustic neuroma vestibular schwannoma that is touching the brain but not really impinging on it.”

This is benign but would also likely grow if not removed.