Sudden sensorineural hearing loss following nonotologic, noncardiopulmonary bypass surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To report 3 cases of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) following nonotologic surgery in which cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) surgery was not involved and to review reports in the literature of similar cases.


METHODS
Clinical records and MEDLINE and Healthstar databases.


METHODS
Reports in the world literature of cases of SSHL following nonotologic, non-CPB surgery.


RESULTS
While said to be more common after CPB surgery, fewer than 20 cases of SSHL following non-otologic, non-CPB surgery have been reported. A number of proposed causes of SSHL temporally related to non-otologic, non-CPB surgery have been theorized; however, the true cause is unknown. This report presents 3 cases of SSHL following nonotologic, non-CPB surgery. Two patients had profound unilateral loss; 1 had moderate bilateral loss. None of the patients demonstrated recovery despite diuretic and prednisone therapy; in approximately 30% of the cases reported to date, the patients experienced significant improvement.


CONCLUSIONS
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss following nonotologic, non-CPB surgery is rare, and its cause remains unknown. The scarcity of reports of SSHL following nonotologic, non-CPB surgery raises the possibility that the apparent association may be spurious.
Cox
A J
AJ
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, St Louis University School of Medicine, Mo, USA.
Sargent
E W
EW
D000368:Aged; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D016025:Bone Transplantation; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000601:surgery*; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D004232:Diuretics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004423:Ear / Q000601:surgery; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000209:etiology; D006312:Hearing Loss, Bilateral / Q000209:etiology; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009295:Nasal Bone / Q000293:injuries; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000601:surgery; D013069:Speech Reception Threshold Test; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D004232:Diuretics; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011241:Prednisone