title: Stapedius muscle myoclonus.
abstract: Myoclonus of the middle ear is a very rare condition. We present the case of a 20-year-old soldier who was exposed to intense artillery noise during a fierce battle and immediately afterward complained of an incapacitating tinnitus in both ears. Microscopic examination of the ears demonstrated rapid rhythmic movements of the tympanic membrane coinciding with the tinnitus, which was also easily heard by the examiner. There was no evidence of palatal myoclonus, and thus the diagnosis of middle ear myoclonus was made. Exploratory tympanotomy confirmed the diagnosis of stapedial muscle myoclonus. Bilateral sectioning of the stapedial tendons brought immediate relief of the tinnitus to the patient. We review the literature of middle ear myoclonus and discuss the symptoms, evaluation, and management of this rare condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rambam Medical Center, The Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Avishay
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Golz
authors.forename: Milo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fradis
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martzu
authors.forename: Aviram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Netzer
authors.forename: Henry Z
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Joachims
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009207:Myoclonus / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000150:complications; D013506:Otologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D013198:Stapedius / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000503:physiopathology