title: Analysis of hearing loss after shunt placement in patients with normal-pressure hydrocephalus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Following shunt placement for treatment of normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), several patients suffered hearing loss. The authors undertook a study to analyze this outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen patients in whom NPH was diagnosed were treated by placement of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. Their hearing was assessed pre- and postoperatively by using pure tone audiometry. Two thirds of the ears tested showed a postoperative hearing loss of more than 10 dB. Recovery of the hearing loss occurred 6 to 12 weeks after shunt placement in 75% of the ears examined.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although shunt insertion for treatment of NPH results in a decrease in hearing, most of the loss can be recovered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Rotterdam, The Netherlands. vanveelen@neur.azr.nl
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: van Veelen-Vincent
authors.forename: E J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Delwel
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Teeuw
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kurt
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Brocaar
authors.forename: B K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Pauw
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Avezaat
authors.forename: B G
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: van Zanten
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000209:etiology; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D006850:Hydrocephalus, Normal Pressure / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013353:Subdural Effusion / Q000209:etiology; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt