Aberrant internal carotid artery causing objective pulsatile tinnitus and conductive hearing loss.
Aberrant internal carotid artery (ICA) in the middle ear is a rare, dangerous vascular anomaly and conservative follow-up was usually adopted in most reported cases. Here we report the case of an 8-year-old girl with symptoms of objective pulsatile tinnitus and conductive hearing loss in the right ear. Otoscopic examination, computed tomography, and conventional angiography were performed. An aberrant ICA combined with a 'third mobile window' was suspected preoperatively and confirmed at exploratory surgery of the middle ear. The aberrant ICA was treated, and the pulsatile tinnitus disappeared and hearing recovered after the surgery. This case suggests that surgery is practical to relieve troublesome tinnitus and hearing loss in appropriate cases with aberrant ICA.
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Yue-Shuai
YS
Song
Yong-Yi
YY
Yuan
Guo-Jian
GJ
Wang
Pu
P
Dai
Dong-Yi
DY
Han
D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests / Q000379:methods; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000379:methods; D013506:Otologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D038781:Otoscopy / Q000379:methods; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery