Res Vestib Sci.  2018 Dec;17(4):170-174. 10.21790/rvs.2018.17.4.170.

A Case of Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Vertigo during Epidural Nerve Block

• Lee BM
• Noh JH
• Ahn SK
• Park HW

• KMID: 2436249
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.21790/rvs.2018.17.4.170

Abstract

Epidural anesthesia has significantly advanced in neuraxial anesthesia and analgesia. It is used for surgical anaesthesia and treatment of chronic pain. Hearing loss during or after epidural anesthesia is rare, and it is known to occur by the change of the intracranial pressure. Cerebrospinal fluid is connected with perilymph in the cochlear and vestibule that is important to hearing and balance. If the intracranial pressure is abruptly transferred to the inner ear, perilymph can be leak, that called perilymphatic fistula, dizziness, and hearing loss can occur suddenly. We report a 65-year-old woman who presented with acute onset dizziness and hearing loss during the epidural nerve block for back pain, wherein we speculated a possibility of perilymphatic fistula as the mechanism of hearing loss and dizziness. The mechanism of dizziness and hearing loss was suspected with perilymphatic fistula.

Keyword

Sudden hearing loss; Epidural anesthesia; Pneumocephalus; Perilymphatic fistula

MeSH Terms

Aged
Anesthesia and Analgesia
Anesthesia, Epidural
Back Pain
Cerebrospinal Fluid
Chronic Pain
Dizziness
Ear, Inner
Female
Fistula
Hearing
Hearing Loss
Hearing Loss, Sensorineural*
Hearing Loss, Sudden
Humans
Intracranial Pressure
Nerve Block*
Perilymph
Pneumocephalus
Vertigo*