Unilateral hearing loss following shunt placement for normal pressure hydrocephalus with a unilateral patent cochlear aqueduct.
Hearing loss in patients who have undergone shunt placement for a hydrocephalus is perhaps an underestimated complication rather than a rare event. There appears to be a correlation between the occurrence of hearing loss and patient characteristics consistent with excessive drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and patent cochlear aqueduct (CA). We present the case of a 77-year-old man with unilateral dominant sensorineural hearing loss after a shunt placement for normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) combined with a patent cochlear aqueduct. Based on our experience and a review of the literature, we suggest an early restoration of the reduced CSF pressure using a programmable valve as a treatment strategy, which might prevent the persistent hearing loss.
Lee
Sun-Ho
SH
Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Kyungpook National University, 50 Samduk-2-ga, Jung-gu, Daegu, 700-721, Republic of Korea.
Park
Seong-Hyun
SH
Park
Jaechan
J
Hwang
Sung-Kyoo
SK
D000368:Aged; D003052:Cochlear Aqueduct / Q000002:abnormalities*; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D046088:Hearing Loss, Unilateral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D006850:Hydrocephalus, Normal Pressure / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt / Q000009:adverse effects*