Audiometric and Radiological Evaluation of Patients with Single-Sided Sensorineural Hearing Loss; Single Center Experience

Abstract

Background: In this study, It was aimed to make audiological and radiological evaluations of patients in the pediatric age group with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss, to reveal the degree of hearing loss, frequency of inner ear anomalies and the 8th cranial nerve anomaly according to age groups.
Materials and Methods: Forty-four pediatric patients who applied to Harran University Medical Faculty Otorhinolaryngology outpatient clinic between June 2014 and June 2015 and diagnosed with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss were included in the study. Patient’s age, gender, lateralization of hearing loss, otoscopic examination findings, tympanometric and audiological findings, and radiological inner ear pathologies were evaluated.
Results: Nineteen patients were female (43.2%) and 25 were male (56.8%). The age range was between 0 to 16 years. The mean age of male patients was 9.88 years, while the mean age of female patients was 9.84 years. Twenty (45.5%) of the patients had sensorineural hearing loss in the right ear and 24 (54.5%) in the left ear. In the patients audiometric examination, 2 (4.5%) patients had unilateral moderate; five patients had (11.4%) unilateral moderate-severe, 11 (25%) patients had unilateral severe, and 26 (59.1%) patients had unilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss. In the radiological examinations, 33 (75%) patients had no pathological findings, while 11 (25%) patients had internal ear pathology. Four patients (9.1%) had bilateral internal inner ear pathology, 4 (9.1%) had a right inner ear, and 3 (6.8%) had left inner ear pathology.
Conclusions: Audiological and radiological imaging should be performed in patients with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss. High resolution computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging should be performed for the possible presence of an inner ear anomaly and evaluation of the 8th cranial nerve.

Keywords

• hearing loss
• inner ear
• anomali
• computer tomograpy
• manyetic rezonance imaging

Tek Taraflı Sensorinöral İşitme Kayıplı Hastaların Odyolojik ve Radyolojik Olarak Değerlendirilmesi; Tek Merkez Deneyimi

Abstract

Background: In this study, It was aimed to make audiological and radiological evaluations of patients in the pediatric age group with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss, to reveal the degree of hearing loss, frequency of inner ear anomalies and the 8th cranial nerve anomaly according to age groups.
Materials and Methods: Forty-four pediatric patients who applied to Harran University Medical Faculty Otorhinolaryngology outpatient clinic between June 2014 and June 2015 and diagnosed with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss were included in the study. Patient’s age, gender, lateralization of hearing loss, otoscopic examination findings, tympanometric and audiological findings, and radiological inner ear pathologies were evaluated.
Results: Nineteen patients were female (43.2%) and 25 were male (56.8%). The age range was between 0 to 16 years. The mean age of male patients was 9.88 years, while the mean age of female patients was 9.84 years. Twenty (45.5%) of the patients had sensorineural hearing loss in the right ear and 24 (54.5%) in the left ear. In the patients audiometric examination, 2 (4.5%) patients had unilateral moderate; five patients had (11.4%) unilateral moderate-severe, 11 (25%) patients had unilateral severe, and 26 (59.1%) patients had unilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss. In the radiological examinations, 33 (75%) patients had no pathological findings, while 11 (25%) patients had internal ear pathology. Four patients (9.1%) had bilateral internal inner ear pathology, 4 (9.1%) had a right inner ear, and 3 (6.8%) had left inner ear pathology.
Conclusions: Audiological and radiological imaging should be performed in patients with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss. High resolution computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging should be performed for the possible presence of an inner ear anomaly and evaluation of the 8th cranial nerve.

Keywords

• işitme kaybı
• tek taraflı
• iç kulak
• anomali
• bilgisayarlı tomografi
• manyetik rezonans görüntüleme

References

1. 1. Morton CC, Nance WE. Newborn hearing screening–a silent revolution. N Engl J Med 2006; 354(20): 2151–64.
2. 2. İncesulu A. Tek taraflı işitme kayıplarına yaklaşım. Kulak Burun Boğaz Uygulamaları 2013; 1(2): 47-52.
3. 3. Song JJ, Choi HG, Oh SH, Chang SO, Kim CS, Lee JH. Unilateral sensorineural hearing loss in children: the importance of temporal bone computed tomography and audiometric follow-up. Otol Neurotol 2009; 30: 604–8.
4. 4. Clark JG. Uses and abuses of hearing loss classification. ASHA.1981: 23 (7): 493-500.
5. 5. Sennaroglu L, Saatci I. A new classification for cochleo vestibular malformations. Laryngoscope 2002; 112: 2230-41.
6. 6. Haffey T, Fowler N, Anne S. Evaluation of unilateral sensorineural hearing loss in the pediatric patient. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2013; 77: 955-8.
7. 7. Yelverton JC, Dominguez LM, Chapman DA, Wang S, Pandya A, Dodson KM. Risk factors associated with unilateral hearin gloss. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2013; 139: 59-63.
8. 8. Ross DS, Holstrum WJ, Gaffney M, Green D, Oyler RF, Gravel JS. Hearing screening and diagnostic evaluation of children with unilateral and mild bilateral hearing loss. Trends Amplif 2008;12(1):27-34.

9. 9. Laury AM, Casey S, McKay S, Germiller J. Etiology of unilateral neural hearing loss in children. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2009; 73: 417-27.
10. 10. Cummings CW. Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, 2.baskı. 1993; 4: 2756-71.
11. 11. Jackler RK, Luxford WM, House WF. Congenital malformations of the iner ear: a classification based on embryogenesis. Laryngoscope 1987; 97: 2–14.
12. 12. Simons JP, Mandell DL, Arjmand EM. Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Pediatric Unilateral and Asymmetric sensorineural Hearing Loss Arch. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2006; 132: 186-92.
13. 13. Tuzcu G, Turna O, Yardımcı AH, Acıoğlu E. Congenital Malformations of the Inner Ear: Evaluation with MRI and CT of the Temporal Bone. İstanbul Med J 2014; 15: 171-4.
14. 14. Bamiou DE, Savy L, O’Mahoney C, Phelps P, Sirimanna T. Unilateral sensorineural hearing loss and itsaetiology in childhood: the contribution of computerised tomography in aetiological diagnosis and management. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 1999;51: 91-9.
15. 15. Uweira TC, Dealarcon A, Meinzen-Derr J, Cohen PA, Rasmussen B, Shott G, et al. Hearing loss progression and contralateral involvement in children with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss. Ann Otol Rhino Laryngol 2009; 118: 781– 5.
16. 16. Marcus S, Whitlow CT, Koonce J, Zapadka ME, Chen MY, Williams DW, et al. Computed tomography demonstrates abnormalities of contralateral ear in subjects with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss. Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol 2014; 78: 268–71.