ABSTRACT
From January 1993 to December 1994, 9 patients (median age 40 years, range 29-71) were evaluated for sudden hearing loss at the Valme de Sevilla University Hospital, Spain. All had severe or profound initial hearing loss, which was bilateral in 3 (33%) cases. Total deafness affected 5 (41%) ears. All subjects were treated with a 3-day course of intravenous piracetam, 10 g/day diluted in 250 ml of saline solution and administered in a 15-minute intravenous infusion. No side effects occurred. The parameters examined were age, sex, side of lesion, contralateral hearing status, time from onset of symptoms to admission, vestibular symptoms, tinnitus, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, initial hearing loss, and audiogram configuration. After treatment, 6 (50%) ears showed improved hearing. Eight (89%) patients had vestibular symptoms, and 5 (55%) reported tinnitus.
Subject(s)
Deafness/drug therapy , Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/drug therapy , Neuroprotective Agents/therapeutic use , Piracetam/therapeutic use , Adult , Aged , Audiometry, Pure-Tone , Deafness/diagnosis , Female , Hearing Loss, Sensorineural/diagnosis , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Neuroprotective Agents/administration & dosage , Piracetam/administration & dosage , Retrospective Studies , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
In children, subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum are produced by bronchopulmonary infections, increased transalveolar pressure, bronchotracheal foreign bodies, and anesthetic or dental procedures. The case of a child with subcutaneous emphysema and pneumomediastinum after tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy is reported. The etiopathogenesis is discussed and the literature is reviewed.
Subject(s)
Adenoidectomy/adverse effects , Mediastinal Emphysema/etiology , Subcutaneous Emphysema/etiology , Tonsillectomy/adverse effects , Child, Preschool , Humans , Male , Radiography, ThoracicABSTRACT
A case is reported of left sudden hearing loss in a 29-year-old male with HIV infection and a history right sudden hearing loss 2 years earlier. The low frequency of sudden hearing loss in HIV+ patients is discussed. Neurosyphilis and cryptococcus infection were ruled out. The patient recovered his hearing in the left ear after three days of treatment with intravenous piracetam, 10 g/day.
