Sudden deafness in vestibular schwannoma

1994 ◽  
Vol 108 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Moffat ◽  
David M. Baguley ◽  
Hubertus von Blumenthal ◽  
Richard M. Irving ◽  
David G. Hardy

AbstractTwelve per cent of a series of 284 patients with vestibular schwannoma presented with sudden deafness. If sudden sensorineural hearing loss is present then it is very likely to be the main presenting symptom. The mean length of patients' history is eight months shorter in this group than in the non-sudden deafness group. Sixteen per cent of vestibular schwannoma patients without sudden deafness present with a 'dead' ear whereas 29.5 per cent of those presenting with sudden deafness have total hearing loss. There was no significant difference between the sudden deafness group and the 'all others' group with regard to tumour size, udiogram shape, caloric test, imbalance, and facial numbness. Although the numbers of patients with sudden deafness in this series were too small to reach significance, on the basis of the clinical correlation of vestibular schwannoma morphology it is possible to postulate that compression of the vasculature within the bony internal auditory canal by a laterally arising tumour may be the aetiological factor and may be more likely to occur than in more medially arising tumours.

2002 ◽  
Vol 127 (1) ◽  
pp. 97-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yildirim A. Bayazit ◽  
Mustafa Namiduru ◽  
Nurhayat Bayazit ◽  
Enver Özer ◽  
Muzaffer Kanlikama

BACKGROUND: Although brucellosis can lead to multisystem complications, involvement of the ear in brucellosis is rarely reported in the literature. The purpose of this study was to assess the hearing status of patients with brucellosis. STUDY DESIGN: Thirty-two patients with brucellosis were included in the study. Pure tone and speech audiometry and tympanometry were performed in the patients. RESULTS: The mean pure tone averages of the patients were within normal limits and were similar in both ears ( P > 0.05). The pure tone averages of the patients with or without anti- Brucella treatment were not significantly different ( P > 0.05) and were within the normal limits. When the hearing levels of these patients were compared at the frequencies of 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000, and 8000 Hz, there was no significant difference as well ( P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Peripheral brucellosis does not appear to be associated with hearing loss.


2000 ◽  
Vol 114 (8) ◽  
pp. 589-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Inoue ◽  
J. Kanzaki ◽  
K. Ogawa

In this study, we analysed the clinical and audiological features of 24 vestibular schwannoma patients presenting with sudden deafness who visited our hospital within 10 days after its onset. The relationships between the prognosis of hearing loss and the clinical and audiological features including the pure-tone average (PTA), the presence of dizziness and/or vertigo, the tumour size and the auditory brain stem response (ABR) findings were evaluated. Hearing recovery depended on the PTA and tumour size, but even a small tumour induced sudden deafness. Impaired hearing completely recovered in five our of 24 patients. ABR findings indicated that the aetiology of sudden deafness in the vestibular schwannoma patients might vary in each patient.


2018 ◽  
Vol 132 (9) ◽  
pp. 796-801
Author(s):  
O Çakır ◽  
G Berkiten ◽  
B Tutar ◽  
A B Yılmazer ◽  
T L Kumral ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectivesTo evaluate the effects of CyberKnife stereotactic radiotherapy for the treatment of vestibular schwannoma on hearing, as evaluated by audiological tests.MethodsPatients with vestibular schwannoma were evaluated before and after CyberKnife radiosurgery. Evaluation included pure tone thresholds, speech discrimination scores, auditory brainstem responses and radiological signs.ResultsThe study comprised 26 patients diagnosed with vestibular schwannoma and subsequently treated with CyberKnife radiosurgery. The mean follow-up time was 16.4 months. The mean post-treatment hearing preservation rate was 69.23 per cent. There was no significant relationship between hearing loss after treatment and patient age, radiation dosage during treatment, or size of tumour. With regard to auditory brainstem responses, patients with hearing loss following treatment had a significantly higher inter-peak latency between waves I–III than patients with preserved hearing.ConclusionStereotactic CyberKnife radiosurgery is an excellent alternative treatment modality for patients with vestibular schwannoma, and results in acceptable preservation of hearing. Residual hearing following CyberKnife therapy is not significantly affected by factors such as age, size of tumour or dosage of treatment.


2018 ◽  
Vol 80 (01) ◽  
pp. 040-045
Author(s):  
Ahmed Rizk ◽  
Marcus Mehlitz ◽  
Martin Bettag

Background and Study Aim Facial nerve (FN) weakness as a presenting feature in vestibular schwannoma (VS) is extremely rare. We are presenting two different cases of VS with significant facial weakness and reviewed the literature for similar cases. Methods and Results We are presenting two cases of VS with significant facial weakness. The first case was a 63-year-old male patient presented with 3 weeks' history of severe left-sided facial weakness (House–Brackmann [HB] grade V) and hearing loss. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain showed a tumor in the left internal auditory canal. Gross total removal with anatomical and physiological FN preservation was performed through a retrosigmoid approach under neurophysiological monitoring. FN function improved postoperatively to HB grade II after 16 months. The other case was 83-year-old male patient presented with sudden left-sided hearing loss and severe facial weakness (HB grade V). MRI of the brain 2.5 years before showed a left-sided (Class-T3A) cystic VS. The tumor was asymptomatic; wait-and-scan strategy was advised by the treating neurologist. Recent MRI of the brain showed approximately three times enlargement of the tumor with brain stem compression, extensive cystic changes, and suspected intratumoral hemorrhage. Surgery was performed; the tumor was subtotally removed through a retrosigmoid approach with intraoperative FN monitoring. The FN was anatomically preserved; however, physiological preservation was not possible. Severe facial weakness with incomplete lid closure persisted postoperatively. Conclusion Surgical treatment could be offered to cases of suspected VS presenting with facial weakness, as these cases may still have a chance for improvement especially in laterally located tumors.


2000 ◽  
Vol 114 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Brewis ◽  
I. D. Bottrill ◽  
S. B. Wharton ◽  
Path ◽  
Moffat

This review describes the features of glomus jugulare tumours with metastases. There were 100 sites of metastasis in the 53 cases previously reported. The sites of metastasis may be summarized as bone (33), lungs (23), lymph nodes (19), liver (nine) and other (16). Metastases presented up to 30 years after the initial treatment. The mean age of patients was 45 years and the sex ratio was approximately two females to one male, with no significant difference compared to non-metastatic tumours. There was a significantly higher incidence of pain and a significantly lower incidence of hearing loss at presentation compared to non-metastatic tumours. The commonest treatment was a combination of surgery and radiotherapy. The duration of symptoms before diagnosis was significantly shorter and the rates of persistent or recurrent local disease and death were significantly higher than for non-metastatic tumours. This review highlights the fact that glomus jugulare tumours are not always benign.


Author(s):  
Iraj Alimohammadi ◽  
Fakhradin Ahmadi Kanrash ◽  
Kazem Rahmani(MSc)

Introduction: Working in noisy environments may cause hearing loss. Studies have shown that some factors along with noise are independently involved in hearing loss, one of which is cigarette smoking. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of smoking on hearing loss in workers exposed to occupational noise. Materials and Methods: The workers’ hearing loss was measured through a tonal hearing test (air-conduction). Their demographic information was also recorded and evaluated using some checklists. Results: A total of 250 people were enrolled in this study, of whom 133 were smokers and 117 were non-smokers. The mean age of the participants was 36.07 ± 3.66 years, and there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of age. The mean sound pressure level in the work environment was 86 dB based on the ISO standard. There was a significant difference between the hearing loss levels in the right ears and the left ears of the two groups of smokers and non-smokers (P value <0.001). Conclusion: In general, smoking plays a significant role in hearing loss along with other factors, such as noise in the workplace, and conducting periodic audiometry tests to identify smokers with hearing impairment can be effective in primary or secondary prevention of occupational hearing impairment. Keywords: Hearing Loss, Smoking, Noise, Occupational  


1984 ◽  
Vol 93 (4_suppl) ◽  
pp. 63-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Edward L. Applebaum ◽  
Galdino E. Valvassori

Many anatomic studies have shown that a loop of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery is frequently found in the cerebellopontine angle and internal auditory canal. The concept of vascular cross-compression has been extended to the eighth cranial nerve, and patients with symptoms of hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo have been treated surgically by separating the vascular loop from the nerve. Previous reports have emphasized vascular anatomy, surgical approaches, and treatment results. Our study provides details of audiometric and vestibular system test results in a series of ten patients with prominent vascular loops in the internal auditory canal diagnosed by computerized tomography after subarachnoid space air injection (pneumo-CT). All patients had a unilateral (or asymmetric) hearing loss on the side of the lesion, and no vascular loops were detected on the contralateral sides. Hearing losses ranged from mild to profound. Audiometric findings were generally of a cochlear type, and most patients had excellent speech discrimination. Spontaneous nystagmus was detected in all patients during neurotologic testing, and half of the patients had normal caloric test results. The variability of audiometric and vestibular system test results is probably a reflection of anatomic variations of the vascular loop and its branches. Auditory and vestibular symptoms may be due to a complex interaction between the eighth cranial nerve and the vascular loop, in which the loop compresses the nerve and the nerve compromises circulation to the inner ear. Although symptoms from vascular loops and eighth nerve tumors are similar, the findings of a cochlear type of hearing loss, excellent speech discrimination, and normal caloric test results should raise the suspicion of a vascular loop. Pneumo-CT is effective in diagnosing and differentiating a vascular loop from a tumor.


2007 ◽  
Vol 122 (2) ◽  
pp. 128-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
T Khrais ◽  
G Romano ◽  
M Sanna

AbstractObjective:The origin of vestibular schwannoma has always been a matter of debate. The aim of our study was to identify the nerve origin of this tumour.Study design:Prospective case review. This study was conducted at Gruppo Otologico, a private referral centre for neurotology and skull base surgery.Methods:A total of 200 cases of vestibular schwannoma were included in the study. All the tumours were removed surgically utilising the translabyrinthine approach. The origin of the tumour was sought at the fundus of the internal auditory canal.Results:A total of 200 consecutive cases was included in the study. The origin of the tumour was limited to one nerve at the fundus in 152 cases (76 per cent). Out of these cases, the tumour originated from the inferior vestibular nerve in 139 cases (91.4 per cent), from the superior vestibular nerve in nine cases (6 per cent), from the cochlear nerve in two cases (1.3 per cent) and from the facial nerve in two cases (1.3 per cent).Conclusion:The vast majority of vestibular schwannomas originate from the inferior vestibular nerve; the incidence of involvement of this nerve increases as the tumour size increases. An origin of vestibular schwannoma from the inferior vestibular nerve can be considered as one of the explanatory factors for the poor functional outcome of the extended middle cranial fossa approach, and probably accounts also for the better hearing preservation rate reported in some series for the retrosigmoid approach.


1979 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 316-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco Pérez Olivares ◽  
Harold F. Schuknecht

Vertical and horizontal measurements were made of the widths of the internal auditory canals of 435 histologically prepared temporal bones. The mean vertical width, measured at the porus acusticus, was 3.68 mm (range 2.10 to 5.26 mm), and the mean horizontal width, measured in the middle region of the canal, was 3.72 mm (range 2 to 5.8 mm). The 144 ears selected for study because they exhibited slowly progressive sensorineural hearing loss showed a distribution of canal widths similar to that of the group as a whole. Histological examination of the internal auditory canals failed to show any type of soft tissue lesion which might have contributed to narrowing of the canals. The study provides no anatomical or histological evidence for the existence of a small internal auditory canal syndrome.


1986 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 659-663 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen A. Butterfield ◽  
Walter F. Ersing

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of age, sex, etiology, and degree of hearing loss on the static and dynamic balance performance of hearing impaired children and youth ( N = 132), ages 3 to 14 yr. The subjects were individually assessed on Items 2 and 7 of Subtest 2 of the Short Form of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency. As expected, performance on both tasks improved with chronological age. In comparing the performance of subjects by etiology, only one significant difference emerged; those with genetic deafness were superior on static balance to those whose deafness was idiopathic. However, the mean scores for the genetic group were superior for both balance tasks. The sex of the child as well as extent of hearing loss did not affect performance in either task.


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