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Updated: Jul 22, 2026
Neuro-rehabilitation Approach for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Published on: January 25, 2016
The Sensorineural Hearing Loss Related to a Rare Infratentorial Developmental Venous Angioma: A Case Report and
Kaveh Ebrahimzadeh1, Hesameddin Hoseini Tavassol1, Seyed Ali Mousavinejad1
1Department of Neurosurgery, Skull Base Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Loghman Hakim Hospital, Tehran, Iran.
Background:
Developmental venous anomaly (DVA) is a benign venous abnormality draining normal brain parenchyma. It is mostly asymptomatic; however, rare complications such as hemorrhage may lead to symptomatic conditions. Headache and seizure are the most common symptoms. Hearing loss is an extremely rare presentation of DVA. To our knowledge, only five cases of DVA, presenting with hearing loss, had been reported so far.
Case Presentation:
We report the case of a 27-year-old woman who presented with a sensorineural hearing loss followed by facial paresis. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) angiography revealed hematoma with adjacent converging veins showing a typical "caput medusa" sign in the left middle cerebellar peduncle, in favor of DVA. Due to the compression effect of hematoma, she underwent surgery. Hearing loss and facial paresis improved significantly during the postoperative follow-up.
Conclusion:
Although DVA is mostly benign and asymptomatic, complications such as hemorrhage rarely occur. Hearing loss is an extremely rare presentation that can be attributable to the compression effect on the cranial nerve VII to VIII complex. In the case of compression effect or progression of symptoms, surgical intervention is necessary. A good clinical outcome could be expected postoperatively.
