Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Potential Result of Acoustic Neuroma and Secondary Neoplasm of the Temporal Bone

摘要

Primary care providers should obtain hearing testing whenever a patient presents with a sudden change in hearing. Although often confused with the transient hearing loss that commonly results from upper respiratory tract infections, sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) may be a consequence of either a primary neoplasm originating within the temporal bone or a secondary neoplasm metastasizing to the temporal bone. Acoustic neuroma and metastatic adenocarcinoma of the breast are the most commonly identified primary and secondary neoplasms, respectively. Once considered rare, secondary metastatic lesions are being reported in far greater numbers than had previously been appreciated. Two illustrative cases of SSNHL are described herein, the first resulting from an acoustic neuroma and the second associated with adenocarcinoma of the breast metastasizing to the temporal bone.