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Fluctuating hearing loss associated with Halo vest application
C R Davies-Husband1, J S Phillips, A J Innes
1Department of Otolaryngology, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, UK.
Objective:
We report the unique case of a 16-year-old man presenting with sudden and profound left-sided hearing loss following application of a Halo vest.
Methods:
Case report and review of the world literature concerning spinal realignment procedures, spinal manipulation and Halo vest application.
Results:
A 16-year-old man presented to the ENT clinic with sudden and profound left-sided hearing loss after undergoing posterior release of a fixed flexion extension deformity of the cervical spine and Halo vest application. The hearing loss slowly improved until the patient disrupted the Halo vest while boarding a bus. Regular audiometry documented the progress of the patient's hearing loss.
Conclusion:
Procedures that significantly alter the established bony anatomy of the neck can be associated with profound audiological deficit through disturbance of the vertebrobasilar arterial system. Such a phenomenon may be associated with application or disruption of a Halo vest.
