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Bilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss as a first symptom of infective endocarditis: two case reports

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2018

M Chroni ,
E Prappa  and
I Kokkevi
M Chroni*
Affiliation:
Department of ENT, Evaggelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece
E Prappa
Affiliation:
Department of Cardiology, Evaggelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece
I Kokkevi
Affiliation:
Department of ENT, Evaggelismos Hospital, Athens, Greece
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Matilda Chroni, ENT Department, Evaggelismos Hospital, Ypsilantou 45–47, Athens 10676, Greece Fax: +30 2106 744 692 E-mail: chronimatilda@yahoo.co.uk
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Abstract

Background:

Septic emboli are an unusual cause of sudden sensorineural hearing loss, for which few reports exist in the literature.

Case report:

This paper presents two cases of sudden sensorineural hearing loss, initially considered as idiopathic, but which were caused by septic emboli. Hearing loss in these cases was bilateral, sequential and total. The first patient had mild fever one week prior to their presentation with sudden sensorineural hearing loss; the other patient had no additional symptoms at presentation. These patients were later diagnosed with infective endocarditis, at two and seven months following the sudden sensorineural hearing loss respectively, showing that septic emboli had been the cause of sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

Conclusion:

Septic emboli should be considered as a possible cause of sudden sensorineural hearing loss in cases of total hearing loss. This form of hearing loss should prompt the otolaryngologist to further investigate for infective endocarditis.

Keywords

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing LossSeptic EmboliInfective Endocarditis
Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 132 , Issue 4 , April 2018 , pp. 368 - 371
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2018 

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