Hearing loss with delayed onset of vertigo

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Neurology

Background:

• Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is a known precursor to delayed onset episodic true vertigo.
• The exact prevalence and etiologic agents in patients undergoing labyrinthectomy are not well-established.

Observation:

• A series of sixty consecutive labyrinthectomies were reviewed.
• Patients presented with a history of sensorineural hearing loss followed by delayed, episodic true vertigo.

Findings:

• The study identified various etiologic agents responsible for SNHL leading to subsequent delayed vertigo.
• Post-surgical relief of vertigo after labyrinthectomy confirmed the affected deafened ear as the source of the vertigo.

Implications:

• This study highlights the importance of considering SNHL as a cause of delayed vertigo.
• Surgical intervention, such as labyrinthectomy, can effectively resolve vertigo in cases originating from a deafened ear.