Cochlear implant candidates with psychogenic hearing loss.

CONCLUSIONS: Specific requests for cochlear implantations by persons with psychogenic hearing loss are a relatively new phenomenon. A number of features seems to be over-represented in this group of patients. The existence of these requests stresses the importance of auditory brainstem response (ABR) measurements before cochlear implantation. OBJECTIVE: To describe the phenomenon of patients with psychogenic hearing losses specifically requesting cochlear implantation, and to gain first insights into the characteristics of this group. METHODS: Analysis of all cases seen between 2004 and 2013 at the University Hospital of Bern, Switzerland. RESULTS: Four cochlear implant candidates with psychogenic hearing loss were identified. All were female, aged 23-51 years. Hearing thresholds ranged from 86 dB to 112 dB HL (pure-tone average 500-4000 Hz). ABRs and otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) showed bilaterally normal hearing in two subjects, and hearing thresholds between 30 and 50 dB in the other two subjects. Three subjects suffered from depression and one from a pathologic fear of cancer. Three had a history of five or more previous surgeries. Three were smokers and three reported other close family members with hearing losses. All four were hearing aid users at the time of presentation.

Terapia sonora en sordera súbita / Sound therapy in sudden deafness

Introducción y objetivos: La hipoacusia neurosensorial súbita idiopática es un trastorno auditivo de causa desconocida. El índice de recuperación espontánea puede variar, según la literatura, en un rango del 50-75% de los pacientes. Experimentos científicos mediante terapia sonora en animales hipoacúsicos avalan el presente estudio en pacientes con sordera súbita tratados con sonidos. Pacientes y métodos: Estudio sin aleatorización de una serie retrospectiva de casos. Durante el período 2003-2009, pacientes con hipoacusia neurosensorial súbita idiopática fueron tratados con corticosteroides, piracetam y antioxidantes, en presencia y ausencia de terapia sonora de música y palabra. Resultados: Cuando se comparan los resultados de los pacientes tratados con medicación(n = 65) y los tratados con medicación más terapia sonora (n = 67), se observa que los segundos tienen mayor recuperación. En este grupo, 25 (37%) se recuperaron completamente, 28 (42%) tuvieron buena recuperación, 11 (16%) ligera recuperación y 3 (5%) pobre recuperación o ninguna recuperación. Conclusión: El 54% de los pacientes del grupo con medicación ha recuperado más de la mitad de la audición perdida y el 79% del grupo que recibió medicación y terapia sonora. La recuperación auditiva no sufrió alteraciones, al menos, en los siguientes 12 meses del tratamiento(AU)

Introduction and goals: Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss is a hearing disorder of unknown cause. The spontaneous recovery rate ranges from 50 to 75% of the patients. Scientific experiments on animals support the present study in patients with sudden deafness treated with sounds. Patients and methods: During the period 2003-2009, patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss were administered steroids, piracetam and antioxidants, together with the addition of sounds by means of music and words. Results: Comparing the results of patients treated with medication (n = 65) and those treated with medication and sounds (n = 67), it was observed that patients treated with medication and sounds had higher recovery. Within the group of patients treated with medication and sounds,25 (37%) experienced complete recovery, 28 (42%) good recovery, 11 (16%) slight recovery and3 (5%) poor or no recovery .Conclusion: The patients who recovered more than half of their audition accounted for 54% in the group treated with medication and for 79% in the group of patients receiving medication and sounds. Auditory recuperation showed no alterations, at least up to 12 months after therapy(AU)

Conversion deafness presenting as sudden hearing loss.

Conversion deafness is a somatoform disorder characterized by hearing loss without an anatomic or pathophysiologic lesion. Clinically, discrepancies between behavior hearing thresholds and objective electrophysiologic examinations, such as impedance audiometry, otoacoustic emissions (OAE), and auditory brainstem response (ABR), will raise the suspicion of this disorder. It is judged to be due to psychological factors and that patients do not intentionally produce the symptom. Conversion deafness is sometimes reported in children but is extremely rare among adults. Two young adults with this disease are presented. These 2 patients were both under enormous stress from the national entrance examinations for universities. Pure tone audiometry showed bilateral hearing deterioration, but OAE and ABR were normal. The hearing of both patients recovered after treatment. The diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of this disorder are also discussed. It is important to discover the psychological stress in patients with conversion deafness. This report aims to increase awareness of this condition and avoid unnecessary steroid use in its treatment.

Nonorganic hearing loss.

Nonorganic hearing loss is a decrease in hearing that is unexplained by anatomic or physiologic abnormalities, or both. The term is synonymous with functional hearing loss and pseudohypacusis. The demographics and potential etiologies of nonorganic hearing loss are described. History and physical findings that indicate a functional hearing loss are also discussed. A review of the anatomy and physiology of the auditory system is provided as a background for the discussed objective tests of hearing thresholds. Finally, conditions that may mimic functional hearing loss are described in detail.

[Diagnosis of psychogenic hearing disorders in childhood]. / Diagnostik von psychogenen Hörstörungen im Kindesalter.

In comparison with organic hearing loss, which is commonly reported, non-organic hearing loss is under-represented in the literature. The audiological results for 20 patients, aged between 6 and 17 years (mean 11.3), with psychogenic hearing disturbances were analysed prospectively. In 17 cases, the disturbance was bilateral and in three cases unilateral. In no case was the result of an objective hearing test exceptional, while a hearing threshold of between 30 and 100 dB was reported in single ear, pure-tone audiograms. In 12 cases, single ear speech audiograms were unexceptional. Suprathreshold tests, such as the dichotic discrimination test or the speech audiogram with noise disturbance, could lead to a clearer diagnosis in cases of severe psychogenic auditory impairment. In half of the patients, a conflict situation in the school or family was evident. After treatment for this conflict, hearing ability returned to normal. There was no improvement for six patients.

A stepwise approach to the diagnosis and treatment of hereditary hearing loss.

What To Do Do suspect a genetic cause in all cases of hearing loss. Do develop a working knowledge of common types of HHI that you may draw on to aid in diagnosis. Do think of HHI when the audiogram reveals a hearing loss with a "cookie bite" configuration. Do refer the infant to a geneticist in cases where you suspect a syndromic HHI, a nonsyndromic HHI, and in cases of "cryptogenic" hearing loss where an underlying HHI may be present. Often, the associated symptoms are subtle and best detected by a professional who deals with these issues on a daily basis. Do get the infant or family plugged into an audiologist or otolaryngologist and speech pathologist who will preferably work as a team to maximize aural rehabilitation and ensure serial follow-up. It is never too early to fit a child with hearing aids. Do refer to the HHIRR center at Boys Town. Do refer to the correct "deaf" organization or "blind-deaf" organization. Do think about working up other siblings or family members. Do keep in mind that some members of the "deaf society" may regard deafness as an alternative lifestyle and may not be amenable to their child's referral for additional workup and aural rehabilitation. What Not To Do Do not assume the child is deaf and nothing can be done. Do not wait until the child is older to refer to an otolaryngologist, speech therapist, and audiologist. Do not order a sonogram. Do not order a temporal bone CT scan on newborns. Do not forget about other siblings who may have a similar pathology. Do not forget that some forms of HHI can present beyond infancy. The pediatrician is the front line and can play a major role in the diagnosis, workup, and treatment of HHI. Armed with the proper degree of suspicion, careful elicitation of family history, meticulous physical examination, evaluation of the audiogram, and adequate fund of knowledge of common types of genetic deafness, the pediatrician can make a timely diagnosis and appropriate referrals. This avoids delay in detection of significant hearing impairment and the associated lack of essential skills in speech, language, and social interaction. No child is too young to have some type of hearing assessment. Early detection and intervention are best done with a multidisciplinary team approach with a neonatologist or pediatrician, audiologist, speech therapist, and otolaryngologist. In the future, blood tests using genetic probes may be available to screen for many types of HHI.

Nonorganic hearing loss in cochlear implant candidates.

Five patients undergoing assessment for cochlear implantation have been found to have a nonorganic hearing loss (pseudohypacusis). This phenomenon has not been reported previously in this patient population. The cases are presented and the causes, detection, and management of this condition are discussed.

Conversion deafness.

Conversion deafness is very rarely encountered among adults. This report will illustrate two cases of this somatoform disorder following different traumatic experiences. It emphasizes the difficulties in establishing the diagnosis and reviews various aspects of treatment.

Accidental chronic salicylate intoxication in an elderly patient: major morbidity despite early recognition.

Chronic salicylate intoxication represents an unappreciated form of self-poisoning in the elderly and therefore poses a diagnostic challenge. This report describes an elderly female with chronic salicylism who presented with unexplained delirium, dysarthria, diminished short-term memory and hearing, and urinary and fecal incontinence. She was treated with intravenous hydration, urinary alkalinization, and subsequent hemodialysis for persistent aciduria, acidemia and impending circulatory collapse. Major morbidity included myocardial infarction, life-threatening dysrhythmias, and mixed bacterial urosepsis. This report highlights the need to maintain a high index of suspicion for salicylate poisoning in the elderly, who commonly present with nonfocal neurologic features.

The management of pseudohypacusis in school-age children.

Pseudohypacusis is a condition in which there is an apparent hearing loss in the absence of clinical or audiological evidence; indeed, audiological assessment for inconsistencies is the mainstay of diagnosis. It is easier to diagnose in children than in adults, due to a child's inability to produce consistently similar results on repeat tests. We have reviewed 15 children with pseudohypacusis, who had an average loss in the right ear of 57 dB, and of 59 dB in the left ear when tested by pure tone audiometry. Eight children were diagnosed by clinical impression and inconsistent pure tone audiograms but in order to confirm the diagnosis in the other seven children further testing with a speech audiogram was necessary and proved sufficient to establish the diagnosis in all cases. The hearing of all 15 children resolved spontaneously at between 2 and 70 months, when treated by careful monitoring and supportive therapy, and none of the children needed psychiatric referral.

The use of the underpressure chamber in the treatment of patients with Menière's disease.

Thirty-four Menière patients (43 ears) were treated in an underpressure chamber. Békésy audiometry and impedance audiometry were performed immediately before and after the exposure to underpressure. A hearing gain of more than 10 dB. was found in 19 per cent of the ears (8/43). In five ears this improvement lasted for a few days. Only one patient (2 per cent) reported a relief of tinnitus. In 9 out of the 30 patients (30 per cent) with recent vertiginous attacks a positive subjective effect on the vertigo was obtained.

An approach to the treatment of pseudohypacusis in children.

Children will occasionally have hearing loss that is unsubstantiated by results of audiological evaluation and that persists in spite of the audiologist's efforts to obtain valid hearing thresholds. In two cases we used suggestion as an effective means of restoring normal hearing behavior while support was given to help the child deal effectively with the problem underlying the hearing loss.

[Hearing results following tympanoplasty (author's transl)]. / Das Hörvermögen nach Tympanoplastik.

Tympanoplasty can produce a stable hearing improvement in many patients with chronically inflamed ears. In our series of patients, severe damage to the inner ear following surgery occurred in 3% patients and was associated with a hearing loss of greater than 15 dB. Complete hearing loss occurred in 0.2% of the patients reviewed. In patients with an intact ossicular chain, simple myringoplasty is associated with the best results. Loss of the stapedial arches affects the postoperative air-bone gap most significantly, while loss of the manubrium mallei or the creation of a radical mastoid cavity are additional negative factors. Extent or localization of ossicular fixation has no direct influence on hearing results when appropriate ossicular reconstruction is performed.