Malignant melanoma presenting as sudden onset of complete hearing loss.
The authors describe a rare case of rapidly progressive bilateral hearing loss associated with carcinomatous meningitis secondary to a primary malignant melanoma of the lower limb 6 years previously. Carcinomatous meningitis is a relatively rare diagnosis, with the involvement of the eighth cranial nerve being present in only a small proportion of patients. Diagnosis relies on clinical suspicion (when multiple cranial nerve lesions occur), magnetic resonance imaging, and cerebrospinal fluid cytology.
Currie
L
L
Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK.
Tomma
A
A
D003390:Cranial Nerve Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000556:secondary; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000556:secondary; D008875:Middle Aged; D000159:Vestibulocochlear Nerve; D000160:Vestibulocochlear Nerve Diseases / Q000150:complications*