Acoustic Neuroma Presented as Repeated Hearing Loss

Abstract

Up to 15% of patients with acoustic neuroma may have a history of sudden hearing loss. Recovery from sudden hearing loss with acoustic neuroma is rare. In this paper, a case of bilateral acoustic neuromas presented as repeated sudden hearing loss with recovery on the left side after removal of right-sided tumor were reported. She experienced three episodes of sudden hearing loss, showing various types of audiograms and ABR on the left side. There was no relationship between the type of audiograms and ABR findings. Factor influencing ABR might be different from the cause of hearing impairment. Acoustic neuromas can be reliably identified by performing MRI properly. However, MRI showed negative scan and ABR finding was abnormal in the first episode of our case. ABR continues to be a sensitive diagnostic back-up test to MRI for the detection of acoustic neuromas. Even if the patient, who showed abnormal ABR findings suggesting retrocochlear pathology, showed normal MRI, acoustic neurinoma should not be ruled out and both ABR and MRI must be re-examined at regular intervals.

Key Words:

• acoustic neuroma
• sudden hearing loss
• auditory brainstem response