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Prospective radiological study concerning a series of patients suffering from conductive or mixed hearing loss due to superior semicircular canal dehiscence

  • Otology
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Abstract

The aim of this study is to appreciate the incidence of patients with isolated conductive hearing loss with normal drum due to superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SCD). It is a prospective radiological study. Two hundred and seventy-two patients with a normal drum suffering from isolated unilateral or bilateral conductive or mixed hearing loss were included in a prospective radiological study. A high resolution computerized tomography (HRCT) was performed in all the patients. Those who were found to have a unilateral or bilateral SCD underwent further etiological, clinical, audiologic evaluation. Ten patients with conductive or mixed hearing loss were found to have a unilateral or bilateral SCD. The disease was bilateral in five cases, and most often associated with a dehiscence of the tegmen tympani on both sides, supporting the theory of the congenital nature of the disease. There was no clear correlation between symptoms and the size of the SCD. Because patients were not suffering from incapacitating vestibular symptoms, they were not operated for surgical occlusion of the SCD, and were referred to a hearing aid specialist to improve hearing. Conductive or mixed hearing loss due to SCD is relatively frequent, justifying in our opinion that a systematic HRCT be carried out before surgery of any patient with conductive hearing loss.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ENT Department, Hôpital Nord, CHU Saint-Etienne, 42055, Saint-Etienne Cedex 2, France

    Christian Martin, Céline Richard & Jean Michel Prades

  2. Radiology Institute, Clinique Mutualiste, 3 rue Le Verrier, 42100, Saint-Etienne, France

    Pierre Chahine & Jean François Pouget

  3. Radiology Department, Hôpital Nord, CHU Saint-Etienne, 42055, Saint-Etienne Cedex 2, France

    Charles Veyret

Authors
  1. Christian Martin
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  2. Pierre Chahine
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  3. Charles Veyret
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  4. Céline Richard
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  5. Jean Michel Prades
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  6. Jean François Pouget
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Correspondence to Christian Martin.

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Martin, C., Chahine, P., Veyret, C. et al. Prospective radiological study concerning a series of patients suffering from conductive or mixed hearing loss due to superior semicircular canal dehiscence. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 266, 1175–1181 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-008-0862-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-008-0862-y

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