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The incidence of symptoms consistent with cerebellopontine angle lesions in a general ENT out-patient clinic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

J. P. Harcourt*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex, UK.
S. Vijaya-Sekaran
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex, UK.
E. Loney
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex, UK.
P. Lennox
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex, UK.
*
Address for correspondence: Mr J. P. Harcourt, M.A., F.R.C.S., 33 Cloncurry Street, London SW6 6DR.

Abstract

To quantify the potential burden for screening for cerebellopontine angle lesions, all adult new patients attending the ENT outpatient department of a district general hospital were documented to see if their presenting symptom(s) could be consistent with the presence of a cerebellopontine angle lesion. Of the patients, 19.7 per cent were found to be potential candidates for screening. A 15 decibel asymmetry at one frequency was found in 11.8 per cent of patients. The burden of screening with a variety of audiological and symptomatic protocols was quantified. Effective age limits to reduce the burden for screening were found to be either 65 or 75 years of age. With such a large potential pool of patients for further investigation, the results of this study could be used to suggest protocols which are likely to produce a load of cases, which matches local resources for screening.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1999

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