Superior canal dehiscence in a patient with three failed stapedectomy operations for otosclerosis: A case report

Abstract

Introduction. This case illustrates that superior semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome can be associated with a "pseudo"-conductive hearing loss, a symptom that overlaps with the clinical appearance of otosclerosis. Case presentation. We present the case of a 48-year-old German Caucasian woman presenting with hearing loss on the left side and vertigo. She had undergone three previous stapedectomies for hearing improvement. Reformatted high-resolution computed tomographic scanning and the patient's history confirmed the diagnosis of concurrent canal dehiscence syndrome. Conclusion. Failure of hearing improvement after otosclerosis surgery may indicate an alternative underlying diagnosis which should be explored by further appropriate evaluation. © 2011 Lehmann et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.