Luetic hearing loss: clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment

Luetic hearing loss, a relatively rare disorder, is significant because it is one of the few forms of progressive sensorineural hearing loss that may be reversed if diagnosed early and accurately and treated aggressively. With the increased incidence of systemic syphilis over the past few decades, the otolaryngologist can expect otosyphilis to appear more frequently. This report reviews the clinical presentation, histopathology, diagnostic workup, and current therapy for this disorder.