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Updated: Dec 23, 2025

Neuro-rehabilitation Approach for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Published on: January 25, 2016
Wernicke's Encephalopathy Presenting as Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Benjamin S H Bryant1, Paul D Ehrlichman1, David Hewson1
1Internal Medicine, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, USA.
Abstract:
Sleeve gastrectomy is a restrictive-type weight loss surgery that can result in nutritional deficiencies, such as vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency. Although Wernicke's encephalopathy is a known complication following bariatric surgery, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss is a rare presenting symptom of this condition. We present a case of a patient two months postoperative following a sleeve gastrectomy whose chief complaint was hearing loss. While initial laboratory evaluation of her complaint showed elevated inflammatory markers, prompting an autoimmune workup, ultimately the diagnosis of Wernicke's encephalopathy was confirmed by a low thiamine level and magnetic resonance imaging findings. A correction of the patient's thiamine deficiency led to an improvement of her symptoms.
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