title: Word deafness presenting as a sudden hearing loss.
abstract: Sudden hearing loss is a condition frequently seen in ENT departments and is usually due to otological pathology. We present a patient who described symptoms of a sudden inability to hear but who, on further questioning and investigations, had 'word deafness' due to bilateral temporoparietal infarcts. We discuss the clinical syndromes associated with these infarcts and the specific management of word deafness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Dunedin Public Hospital, New Zealand.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Fields
mesh_terms: D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000150:complications*; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000098:blood supply*; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000098:blood supply*