title: Floating-Harbor syndrome associated with middle ear abnormalities.
abstract: Floating-Harbor syndrome is a rare syndrome of unknown etiology, which was first described in 1973. A triad of main features characterizes Floating-Harbor syndrome: short stature, characteristic face, and an expressive speech delay. We present a patient in whom the hearing thresholds improved insufficiently after placement of grommets. High-resolution CT scan of the temporal bone showed a prominent soft-tissue thickening suspected of causing fixation of the malleus, and fusion of the malleus head with the body of the incus. To our knowledge this is the first reported abnormal middle ear anatomy in a patient with Floating-Harbor syndrome. A conservative treatment with hearing aids was preferred as an initial treatment in favor of a surgical exploration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 109, 1090 Jette, Brussels, Belgium. j.j.hendrickx@planet.nl
authors.forename: Jan-Jaap
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Hendrickx
authors.forename: Kathelijn
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Keymolen
authors.forename: Brigitte
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Desprechins
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Casselman
authors.forename: Frans
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gordts
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height; D002648:Child; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013064:Speech Disorders; D013577:Syndrome; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed