title: Superior canal dehiscence with tegmen defect revealed by otoscopy: Video clip demonstration of pulsatile tympanic membrane.
abstract: Superior canal dehiscence is a pathologic condition of the otic capsule acting as aberrant window of the inner ear. It results in reduction of inner ear impedance and in abnormal exposure of the labyrinthine neuroepithelium to the action of the surrounding structures. The sum of these phenomena leads to the onset of typical cochleo-vestibular symptoms and signs. Among them, pulsatile tinnitus has been attributed to a direct transmission of intracranial vascular activities to labyrinthine fluids. We present the first video-otoscopic documentation of spontaneous pulse-synchronous movements of the tympanic membrane in two patients with superior canal dehiscence. Pulsating eardrum may represent an additional sign of third-mobile window lesion.
authors.affiliation: ENT Unit, Department of Surgery, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Center for Clinical and Basic Research (IRCCS), Viale Risorgimento 80, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castellucci
authors.affiliation: ENT & Audiology Unit, S.Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brandolini
authors.affiliation: Department of Otology and Skull Base Surgery, Gruppo Otologico, Via Antonio Emmanueli 42, 29121 Piacenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Piras
authors.affiliation: ENT & Audiology Unit, S.Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Ignacio Javier
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.affiliation: ENT Unit, Department of Surgery, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Center for Clinical and Basic Research (IRCCS), Viale Risorgimento 80, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.affiliation: ENT Unit, Department of Surgery, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova, Center for Clinical and Basic Research (IRCCS), Viale Risorgimento 80, 42123 Reggio Emilia, Italy.
authors.forename: Carmine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pernice
authors.affiliation: ENT & Audiology Unit, S.Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni Carlo
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Modugno
authors.affiliation: ENT & Audiology Unit, S.Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pirodda
authors.affiliation: ENT & Audiology Unit, S.Orsola-Malpighi University Hospital, Via Massarenti 9, 40138 Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: giangaetano.ferri@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Gian Gaetano
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Ferri
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007761:Labyrinthine Fluids / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D038781:Otoscopy; D012665:Semicircular Canals / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014723:Vestibular Aqueduct / Q000002:abnormalities; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth
keywords: Conductive hearing loss; Pulsatile tinnitus; Pulsatile tympanic membrane; Superior canal dehiscence; Tegmen defect; Third window lesions