title: Restoration of useful hearing after microvascular decompression of the cochlear nerve.
abstract: This report describes a patient with sudden sensorineural hearing loss who was found to have a megadolichoectasia vertebrobasilar system that appeared to be causing compression of the ipsilateral facial and vestibulocochlear nerves. The patient was treated conservatively for 4 months, during which time no hearing returned. He then underwent microvascular decompression of the affected nerves. At surgery, marked compression of the cranial nerves VII-VIII complex and the pons was observed. Postoperatively, the patient experienced a gradual return of useful hearing. We suggest that vascular compression may be a rare, but treatable, cause of sensorineural hearing loss.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: G L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Rosseau
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Jannetta
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hirsch
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Møller
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Møller
mesh_terms: D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D003051:Cochlea / Q000601:surgery*; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D000159:Vestibulocochlear Nerve / Q000601:surgery*