Case Report: Mixed-Cause Vertigo and Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss as Presentations of Vertebrobasilar Dolichoectasia

Abstract

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is a syndrome characterized by rapid progression of hearing impairment over seconds to days. While no universally accepted definition exists, it is often defined as a sensorineural hearing loss of 30 decilbles (dB) or more across at least three contiguous frequencies, occurring within 72 hours. In elderly patients and those with vascular risk factors who develop SSNHL, ischemia of the vertebrobasilar territory is suspected, especially of the anteroinferior cerebellar artery. This is because ischemia that affects this artery produces 79% of SSNHL associated with cerebral infarction. In many cases of ischemia of the vertebrobasilar territory, there is an association with anomalies of the vertebrobasilar circulation, such as vertebral artery hypoplasia or vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia. Here, we report a case of a 73-year-old man who presented right sudden hearing loss accompanied by acute onset vertigo, a physical exploration compatible with right vestibular dysfunction, and a history of recurrent episodes of syncope in the context of vertebrobasilar dolichoectasia, as diagnosed via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).