Thirty patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss who presented to the University Hospital between January 1985 to January 1992 are presented. The combined regime of bed rest, intravenous dextran 40, vasodilator and steroid therapy produced good improvement in 63.4% of patients. Unfavourable prognostic factors were found to be, hearing loss of more than two weeks duration, verti...

BACKGROUND: Climatic or meteorological condition changes have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (ISSHL). We investigated the seasonal distribution of ISSHL and evaluated the influence of meteorological parameters (such as temperature, humidity, and atmospheric pressure), their variation and covariation on the incidence of the disease. METHODS: A...

Conversion deafness is a somatoform disorder characterized by hearing loss without an anatomic or pathophysiologic lesion. Clinically, discrepancies between behavior hearing thresholds and objective electrophysiologic examinations, such as impedance audiometry, otoacoustic emissions (OAE), and auditory brainstem response (ABR), will raise the suspicion of this disorder. It is judged to be due t...

INTRODUCTION Sudden sensorineural hearing-loss (SSNHL) patients constitute approximately 2-3% of referrals to ear, nose and throat (ENT) clinics. Several predisposing factors have been proposed for this condition; one of which is vascular disorders and perfusion compromise. In this research the atherosclerotic changes and their known risk factors are studied in SSNHL patients. MATERIALS AND M...

OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to determine the characteristics of patients who did not match the audiometric criteria of idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) but complained of acute hearing loss. METHODS By thorough medical chart reviews, historical cohort study was performed with consecutive data of 589 patients complaining of acute unilateral sensorineural hearing loss...

Idiopathic Sudden Hearing Loss (ISHL) is characterized by a sudden, bilateral or unilateral hearing deficit, which develops within a period of 72 hours and still poses a diagnostic and treatment challenge to otolaryngologists. Its cause and pathogenesis are still unknown. Among the theories proposed to explain its pathogenesis, we list cochlear viral infection, vascular occlusion and membrane r...

Arachnoid cysts can occur at different intracranial sites, including the cerebellopontine angle (CPA). They often occur in childhood, in the posterior fossa. They may present with symptoms such as dizziness, tinnitus and hearing loss, or they may be asymptomatic. Presentation with sudden deafness is very rare. We report the unusual presentation of a 67-year-old male with CPA arachnoid cyst and ...

BACKGROUND Sudden hearing loss directly associated with pregnancy or birth is a little known and rare occurrence. The temporary, unilateral, low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss in this case was reported after the birth of the patient's first child, and again during the third trimester of her second pregnancy. AIMS This paper discusses the different explanations as to why hearing losses o...

The antiphospholipid syndrome is the association between the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies, thrombosis and/or pregnancy morbidity and mortality. This report presents two cases of antiphospholipid antibodies and sensorineural hearing loss and discusses the probable causative link. We recommend that patients presenting with sudden sensorineural hearing loss are investigated for evidence...