title: The role of fissula ante fenestram in unilateral sudden hearing loss.
abstract: The cause of unilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) remains unclear in many clinical cases. Perilymphatic leakage through a fissula ante fenestram (FAF) fistula is one possible reason. We present four clinical cases with proven FAF fistula, discovered during surgical exploration. All patients experienced partial hearing recovery after surgical coverage of the fistula. We suggest FAF as a possible site for perilymphatic leakage, representing an anatomical correlate for sudden unilateral SNHL. We recommend early exploratory tympanotomy with special attention to the bony region, anterior to the oval window, in cases of severe sudden SNHL and suspected FAF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Paracelsus Private Medical University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Miklós
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tóth
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Paracelsus Private Medical University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roesch
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grimm
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary.
authors.forename: Márk
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Plachtovics
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuroradiology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: Johann-Martin
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hempel
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Paracelsus Private Medical University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
authors.forename: Gerd
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rasp
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015834:Cochlear Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D005402:Fistula / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D046088:Hearing Loss, Unilateral / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010498:Perilymph; D011859:Radiography; D012405:Round Window, Ear / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*