title: [Sudden deafness].
abstract: Sudden deafness is a real clinical entity. Very important advances have been achieved these last years in cochlear physiology and afford a better knowledge of the mechanisms of deafness but not the causal agent. Two major pathogenic hypotheses are formulated: viral agent and vascular cause. Two peaks of prevalence in relation with age are described: one between 30 and 40 and the second between 55 and 60. Sudden deafness is a sensorineural emergency. The treatment primarily aims at the restitution of hearing by minimizing the period of cellular ischaemia.
authors.affiliation: Service ORL, Centre Hospitalier J. Bracops, Bruxelles.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Van Geert
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D003051:Cochlea / Q000098:blood supply*; D003638:Deafness / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D004630:Emergencies; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000150:complications*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000150:complications*