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Published on: January 22, 2010
Analysis of hearing loss after shunt placement in patients with normal-pressure hydrocephalus
M L van Veelen-Vincent1, E J Delwel, R Teeuw
1Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Rotterdam, The Netherlands. vanveelen@neur.azr.nl
Object:
Following shunt placement for treatment of normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), several patients suffered hearing loss. The authors undertook a study to analyze this outcome.
Methods:
Sixteen patients in whom NPH was diagnosed were treated by placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. Their hearing was assessed pre- and postoperatively by using pure tone audiometry. Two thirds of the ears tested showed a postoperative hearing loss of more than 10 dB. Recovery of the hearing loss occurred 6 to 12 weeks after shunt placement in 75% of the ears examined.
Conclusions:
Although shunt insertion for treatment of NPH results in a decrease in hearing, most of the loss can be recovered.
