1/19. Recurrent inner ear decompression sickness associated with a patent foramen ovale.Isolated inner ear injuries occurring during shallow scuba dives are an uncommon manifestation of decompression sickness in recreational divers. We describe a patient who presented with the typical symptoms of inner ear involvement after 2 independent dives within the decompression limits. The diver reported symptoms of unilateral (right-sided) hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo after dives to 35 and 50 m. After treatment with hyperbaric oxygen, his symptoms completely resolved. To confirm the hypothesis of inner ear decompression sickness (IEDCS), we examined the patient for a right-to-left shunt by cranial Doppler ultrasound and found a patent foramen ovale. The existence of a patent foramen ovale is suspected to be a risk factor for developing neurological symptoms of decompression sickness. There was no evidence of any other risk factors, so we suggest that the relevant right-to-left shunt in our patient may have been the predisposing factor that caused the inner ear symptoms during his scuba dive.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = hearing loss, hearing (Clic here for more details about this article) |
2/19. Sensorineural hearing loss as the result of cliff jumping.A case of unilateral, sudden sensorineural hearing loss and possible perilymphatic fistula as the result of cliff jumping into water is presented. The physiological mechanisms contributing to such a barotraumatic auditory injury are described. A conservative treatment protocol is reviewed as well as documented hearing recovery.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 9.0166211137499keywords = sensorineural hearing loss, sensorineural hearing, sensorineural, hearing loss, hearing (Clic here for more details about this article) |
3/19. Hearing preservation in perilymphatic fistula due to a congenital fistula in an adult.Congenital fistula in the stapedial footplate usually can be diagnosed by the recurrence of meningitis caused by spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in infants or young children. We report the case of a 65-year-old woman, who was initially diagnosed as having an acquired perilymphatic fistula caused by aural barotrauma and demonstrated episodic vertigo and fluctuant sensorineural hearing loss in the right ear after air travel. Surgical exploration showed a congenital circular defect in the peripheral part of the stapedial footplate with leakage of CSF. The fistula was closed by inserting a tiny piece of fascia attached to both the tympanic and perilymphatic side of the stapedial footplate utilizing the back-pressure of perilymphatic fluid and fibrin glue; hearing was preserved.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2.502014143805keywords = sensorineural hearing, sensorineural, hearing (Clic here for more details about this article) |
4/19. "Spontaneous" perilymph fistula: a case report.A surgically documented case of barotrauma-induced perilymph fistula is presented in this case report. A brief review of the literature on this entity confirms the difficulty of making a definitive preoperative diagnosis in most instances. Clinical, audiometric, radiologic, and intraoperative findings are presented, and the classic presumed mechanisms for this uncommon cause of sudden sensorineural hearing loss are discussed. The presence of intact evoked otoacoustic emissions in an ear demonstrating a severe cochlear-type loss was considered helpful in narrowing the differential diagnosis in this case, and may suggest a productive avenue for future study.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 4.7362509786075keywords = sensorineural hearing loss, sensorineural hearing, sensorineural, hearing loss, hearing (Clic here for more details about this article) |
5/19. Perilymphatic fistula induced by barotrauma.The association between diving, barotrauma, and the production of perilymphatic fistula has been known for almost 20 years. Forty-eight cases of round and oval window fistulas following diving have been reviewed and essentially corroborate previous findings. Any patient with a history of diving and subsequent sensorineural hearing loss within 72 hours should be suspected of having a round or oval window perilymphatic fistula and surgical exploration and closure of the fistula should be undertaken. patients who have a loss of hearing, vertigo, nausea, or vomiting following a decompression dive should be re-compressed and if symptoms do not clear, exploration should be performed. Surgical treatment should be executed as soon as possible after the diagnosis is suspected for the best possible results.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 5.0166211137499keywords = sensorineural hearing loss, sensorineural hearing, sensorineural, hearing loss, hearing (Clic here for more details about this article) |
6/19. tinnitus in an active duty navy diver: A review of inner ear barotrauma, tinnitus, and its treatment.This case elucidates subtle cues that must be appreciated by the examiner in diving related injuries, who may not have experience with barotrauma-mediated pathology. Inner-ear barotrauma (IEBT) does not mandate ostensible hearing loss or vertigo; tinnitus may be the sole manifestation. Symptoms may present hours or even days post-dive. A common misconception exists that there are no efficacious treatment options for IEBT short of surgery for an overt perilymphatic fistula. Treatment options are available including acute high dose steroid administration, as prescribed for acute noise-induced or idiopathic hearing loss, optimally administered within three weeks of the acute insult. tinnitus does not necessarily constitute a chronic untreatable symptom, which the patient must learn "to live with".- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 2keywords = hearing loss, hearing (Clic here for more details about this article) |
7/19. Aerotitis: cause, prevention, and treatment.Aerotitis, an acute inflammation of the middle ear caused by the difference in air pressure between the airplane cabin and the middle-ear space, is becoming more common in the united states as our society becomes increasingly mobile. We describe a case in which a 33-year-old woman with a resolving upper respiratory tract infection and mildly blocked eustachian tubes flew on a business trip. During ascent, her ears became blocked. This blockage was partially alleviated by a Valsalva's maneuver. On descent, however, her ears became severely blocked, she experienced intense pain, and her tympanic membranes ruptured. She became nauseated and vomited. Her hearing became significantly diminished and she experienced vertigo. On landing, she was taken to a local emergency room and treated with penicillin and antivertiginous medication. Subsequent otologic evaluation revealed severe permanent sensorineural hearing loss. The vestibular symptoms lasted several months. She now requires hearing aids on a permanent basis. Suggestions are presented for prevention and treatment of aerotitis.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 5.2969912488924keywords = sensorineural hearing loss, sensorineural hearing, sensorineural, hearing loss, hearing (Clic here for more details about this article) |
8/19. Inner ear decompression sickness following a shallow scuba dive.Inner Ear decompression sickness (IEDCS)--manifested by tinnitus, vertigo, nausea, vomiting, and hearing loss--is usually associated with deep air or mixed gas dives, and accompanied by other CNS symptoms of decompression sickness (DCS). Early recompression treatment is required in order to avoid permanent inner ear damage. We present an unusual case of a scuba diver suffering from IEDCS as the only manifestation of DCS following a short shallow scuba dive, successfully treated by U.S. Navy treatment table 6 and tranquilizers. This case suggests that diving medical personnel should be more aware of the possible occurrence of IEDCS among the wide population of sport scuba divers.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 1keywords = hearing loss, hearing (Clic here for more details about this article) |
9/19. Suppressed sneezing as a cause of hearing loss and vertigo.Two cases of inner ear injury caused by suppressed sneezing are described. One patient experienced vestibular symptoms in the form of reflexogenic vertigo that was relieved by surgical section of the tensor tympani tendon. The other patient had a sudden severe permanent sensorineural hearing loss. It is proposed that the aerodynamic pressure increase associated with suppressed sneezing is transmitted via the eustachian tube to cause an implosive fistula of either the round or oval window with injury to the membranous labyrinth.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 8.7362509786075keywords = sensorineural hearing loss, sensorineural hearing, sensorineural, hearing loss, hearing (Clic here for more details about this article) |
10/19. nitrous oxide and the middle ear.A case of hearing deficit following nitrous oxide anaesthesia is reported. The mechanism and time course of nitrous oxide-induced intratympanic pressure changes are described and contrasted with the effects of non-nitrous oxide anaesthesia. The rate of increase is about 10 mm H20/min. The possibility that nitrous oxide may cause displacement of tympanic membrane grafts both outwards and inwards, or disrupt the reconstructed middle ear conducting mechanism, is raised again.- - - - - - - - - - ranking = 0.28037013514245keywords = hearing (Clic here for more details about this article) |
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