An isolated vestibulocochlear symptom preceding brainstem infarction due to basilar artery occlusion.
OBJECTIVE
To describe unilateral hearing loss preceding brainstem infarction due to basilar artery occlusion.


METHODS
Clinical capsule report.


METHODS
University hospital.


METHODS
A 67-year-old woman presented with unilateral acute hearing loss with dizziness as a sole prodromal manifestation of basilar artery occlusion for 2 weeks before the appearance of motor and oculomotor deficits.


METHODS
Otologic examinations and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed.


RESULTS
A pure-tone audiogram showed unilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss preceding brainstem occlusion. Diffusion-weighted MR image demonstrated acute infarction around the paramedian area of the upper and middle pons, although T2-weighted MR image showed a normal brain image except for occlusion of the basilar artery.


CONCLUSIONS
Acute unilateral hearing loss could be a prodrome of basilar artery occlusion. Clinicians must consider this possibility, especially in patients at high risk of brainstem infarction.
Department of Otolaryngology, Saitama Medical Center, Saitama, Japan. m-ohki@umin.ac.jp
Masafumi
M
Ohki
Kotaro
K
Tanaka
D000368:Aged; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D020526:Brain Stem Infarctions / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D004244:Dizziness / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D046088:Hearing Loss, Unilateral / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011149:Pons / Q000473:pathology; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology