Sweet's disease and profound, bilateral, sensorineural hearing loss.
OBJECTIVE
We report a case of Sweet's disease associated with rapid, profound loss of hearing, against a background of progressive, bilateral, sensorineural hearing loss.


RESULTS
The clinical features were indistinguishable from those of immune-mediated inner ear disease. Establishment of a definitive diagnosis was a challenge due to the absence of a reliable diagnostic test. The patient was unresponsive to extensive immunosuppressive therapy and subsequently underwent cochlear implantation, with good hearing outcomes.


CONCLUSIONS
Profound, bilateral, sensorineural hearing loss in the context of Sweet's disease may be related to the underlying immunological aetiology. Cochlear implantation can successfully restore hearing when immunotherapy fails.
Department of Otolaryngology, Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
S
S
Cheng
M
M
da Cruz
D019929:Cochlear Implantation; D005260:Female; D006312:Hearing Loss, Bilateral / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D016463:Sweet Syndrome / Q000150:complications*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents