Sudden hearing loss associated with cochlear membrane rupture. Two human temporal bone reports.
Cochlear membrane ruptures occurred in the left temporal bones of two patients--one was a result of barotrauma caused by flying and was associated with sudden deafness, tinnitus, and some vertigo and the second occurred in a patient with profound deafness in a previously normal-hearing ear. Both occurred as ruptures of Reissner's membrane at the junction of the ductus reuniens with the cecum vestibulare portion of the cochlear duct. With healing, a balloon-like structure formed from the rupture site into the adjacent vestibule, resulting in a secondarily ruptured saccule duct in one case and in collapse of the saccule in the second case. Left-sided preponderance of such ruptures and the vulnerability of the ductus reuniens junction with the cochlea are described.
D000368:Aged; D001469:Barotrauma / Q000150:complications*; D003051:Cochlea / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012421:Rupture; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000473:pathology*