ABSTRACT
Pseudotumor cerebri or benign intracranial hypertension is a syndrome characterized by increased intracranial pressure without focal signs of neurologic dysfunction. The clinical manifestations of this syndrome are usually headache and/or disturbance of vision. Although tinnitus, hearing loss, and vertigo have been described in association with intracranial hypertension, otologic symptomatology as the presenting manifestation of this syndrome has not been previously reported. In this article we report the otologic symptoms and findings of two pseudotumor cerebri patients, one of whom presented with pulsatile tinnitus. The pathogenesis of the otologic symptoms, diagnostic workup, and management of these patients are discussed.
Subject(s)
Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/etiology , Pseudotumor Cerebri/complications , Tinnitus/etiology , Vertigo/etiology , Adult , Electronystagmography , Female , Humans , Pseudotumor Cerebri/physiopathology , PulseABSTRACT
The sleep apnea syndrome is a relatively unappreciated but by no means rare cause of nocturnal hypercapnia and hypoxemia that sometimes persist into the waking hours. The authors describe their experience in diagnosing and treating this disease in seven patients who were characteristically overweight, tended to snore, and had daytime somnolence, intellectual deterioration and elevated hematocrits.