Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T08:54:33.621Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Management of tinnitus induced by brainstem and cerebellar infarction associated with complications of cerebello-pontine angle surgery

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 April 2007

S Brewis
Affiliation:
Department of Audiology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK
D M Baguley
Affiliation:
Department of Audiology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK

Abstract

Following surgery in the USA in 1992 to remove a large right cerebello-pontine angle tumour, a 39-year-old woman developed severe brainstem and cerebellar infarction. This left her with severe visual impairment and ataxia. She became able to communicate by means of an adapted finger-spelling alphabet. She had total hearing loss in the right ear and a mild to moderately severe sensorineural hearing loss in the left ear, and severe tinnitus heard throughout the head. Additionally, she experienced hypersensitivity to sound above normal conversational levels, which evoked a synaesthetic feeling of coldness across her upper torso. Previous linear analogue hearing aid fitting had not been beneficial for either hearing or tinnitus. Careful fitting of a digital hearing aid, together with tinnitus counselling, inhibited the patient's tinnitus to 25 per cent of its former intensity after a six month acclimatisation period, and improved communication.

Type
Clinical Records
Copyright
2007 JLO (1984) Limited

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)