Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T23:54:13.310Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Sudden deafness in vestibular schwannoma

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

David A. Moffat*
Affiliation:
Department of Otoneurological and Skull Base Surgery, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.
David M. Baguley
Affiliation:
Department of Otoneurological and Skull Base Surgery, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.
Hubertus von Blumenthal
Affiliation:
Department of Otoneurological and Skull Base Surgery, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.
Richard M. Irving
Affiliation:
Department of Otoneurological and Skull Base Surgery, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.
David G. Hardy
Affiliation:
Department of Otoneurological and Skull Base Surgery, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge.
*
David A. Moffat, F.R.C.S., Department of Otolaryngology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ.

Abstract

Twelve 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.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1994

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.)

References

Berg, H. M., Cohen, N. L., Hammerschlag, P. E., Waltzman, S. B. (1986) Acoustic neuroma presenting as sudden hearing loss with recovery. Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 94: 1522.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cushing, H. W. (1917) Tumours of the Nervus Acusticus and the Syndrome of the Cerebellopontine Angle, W. B. Saunders, Philadelphia.Google Scholar
Edwards, C. H., Paterson, J. H. (1951) Review of symptoms and signs of acoustic neurofibromata. Brain 74: 144190.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hallberg, O. E. (1956) Sudden deafness of obscure origin. Laryngoscope 66: 12371267.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hallberg, O. E., Uihlein, A., Siekert, R. G. (1959) Sudden deafness due to cerebello-pontine angle tumor. Archives of Otolaryngology 69: 160162.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harder, H. (1988) Audiovestibular tests in the diagnosis of cerebellopontine angle tumours. Acta Otolaryngologica (Stockholm) 452 (Suppl.): 5–ll.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Higgs, W. A. (1973) Sudden deafness as the presenting symptom of acoustic neurinoma. Archives Ototolaryngology 103: 539542.Google Scholar
Hirsch, A., Anderson, H. (1980) Audiological test results in 96 patients with tumours affecting the VIIIth nerve. Acta Otolaryngologica (Stockholm) 369 (Suppl.): 926.Google Scholar
Moffat, D. A., Golledge, J., Baguley, D. M., Hardy, D. G. (1993) Clinical correlates of acoustic neuroma morphology. Journal of Laryngology and Otology 107: 290294.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Morrison, A. W. (1975) Management of Sensorineural Deafness. Butterworths, London and Boston.Google Scholar
Odkvist, L. M. (1988) Otoneurological diagnostics in posterior fossa lesions. Acta Otolaryngologica (Stockholm) 452 (Suppl.): 1215.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ogawa, K., Kanzaki, J., Ogawa, S., Tsuchihashi, N., Inoue, Y. (1991) Acoustic neuromas presenting as sudden hearing loss. Acta Otolaryngologica (Stockholm) 487 (Suppl.): 138143.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pensac, M. L., Glasscock, M. E., Jackson, C. G., Josey, A. F., Gulya, A. J. (1985) Sudden hearing loss and cerebellopontine angle tumors. Laryngoscope 95: 11881193.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shaia, F. T., Sheehy, J. L. (1976) Sudden sensorineural hearing impairment: a report of 1220 cases. Laryngoscope 86: 389398.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thomsen, J., Tos, M. (1988) Diagnostic strategies in search of acoustic neuromas. Findings in 300 acoustic neuroma patients. Acta Otolaryngologica (Stockholm) 452 (Suppl.): 1625.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed