title: Unilateral common cavity deformity: Recurrent meningitis due to insufficient newborn hearing screening.
abstract: Insufficient newborn hearing screening may leave the other ear with undetected hearing loss. Subsequently, the missed pathology behind the impairment may have potential risk for severe infections. We describe a case of recurrent Streptococcus pneumoniae meningitis in an infant with unilateral common cavity deformity. The diagnosis of the deaf left ear was delayed due to insufficient newborn hearing screening and not until the second meningitis the pathology behind the deafness was confirmed. Subtotal petrosectomy was performed unsuccessfully and resulted in another meningitis. We highlight the importance of proper newborn hearing screening and surgical technique to treat cochlear malformations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tampere University Hospital and the University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland. Electronic address: ilkka.kivekas@pshp.fi.
authors.forename: Ilkka
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kivekäs
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tampere University Hospital and the University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Juha-Pekka
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Vasama
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Kokkola Central Hospital, Kokkola, Finland.
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Weitz-Tuoretmaa
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Tampere University Hospital and the University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hakomäki
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Tampere University Hospital and the University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rautiainen
mesh_terms: D003051:Cochlea / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D003638:Deafness / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D057210:Delayed Diagnosis; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D046088:Hearing Loss, Unilateral / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000209:etiology*; D015997:Neonatal Screening / Q000592:standards*; D012008:Recurrence
keywords: Common cavity; Newborn hearing screening; Recurrent meningitis