Sensorineural Hearing Loss After Dental Extraction Under General Anesthesia: Report of a Case

Abstract

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is an uncommon event, with an estimated incidence of 5 to 20 cases per year per 100,000 population. It is often idiopathic or secondary to infection. 1 Byl Jr, F.M. Sudden hearing loss: Eight years' experience and suggested prognostic table. Laryngoscope. 1984; 94: 647 Crossref PubMed Google Scholar It is a well-recognized event after a cardiopulmonary bypass, with a reported incidence of 1 in 1,000. This is attributed to microemboli from the cardiopulmonary tree. 2 Plasse H.M. Mittleman M. Frost J. Unilateral sudden hearing loss after open heart surgery A detailed study of seven cases. Laryngoscope. 1981; 91: 101 Crossref PubMed Google Scholar Other causes include lesions of the external, middle, and inner ear, internal auditory meatus, cerebellopontine angle, and central nervous system. 3 Goodhill V. Harris I. Brockman S.J. Sudden deafness and labyrinthine window rupture. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 1973; 82: 2 PubMed Google Scholar It is considered an otologic emergency, and early diagnosis and treatment may result in a favorable outcome. 4 Pau H. Selvadurai D. Murty G.E. Reversible sensorineural hearing loss after non-otological surgery under general anaesthetic. Postgrad Med J. 2000; 76: 304 Crossref PubMed Scopus (9) Google Scholar It is, however, extremely uncommon after general anesthesia (GA) for noncardiac and nonotologic procedures. Only 44 such cases were reported in the literature, mainly after spinal, abdominal, gynecologic, and ophthalmic procedures. 3 Goodhill V. Harris I. Brockman S.J. Sudden deafness and labyrinthine window rupture. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 1973; 82: 2 PubMed Google Scholar , 4 Pau H. Selvadurai D. Murty G.E. Reversible sensorineural hearing loss after non-otological surgery under general anaesthetic. Postgrad Med J. 2000; 76: 304 Crossref PubMed Scopus (9) Google Scholar , 5 Park P. Toung J.S. Smythe P. et al. Unilateral sensorineural hearing loss after spine surgery: Case report and review of literature. Surg Neurol. 2006; 66: 415 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (17) Google Scholar , 6 Farrel R.W. Pemberton M.N. Parker A.J. et al. Sudden deafness after dental surgery. Br Med J [Clin Res]. 1991; 303: 1270 Google Scholar , 7 Evan K.E. Tavill M.A. Goldberg A.N. et al. Sudden sensorineural hearing loss after general anaesthesia for nonotological surgery. Laryngoscope. 1997; 107: 747 Crossref PubMed Scopus (26) Google Scholar , 8 Goodhill V. Labyrinthine membrane ruptures in sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Proc R Soc Med. 1976; 69: 565 PubMed Google Scholar We are aware of only 1 previous report of SNHL after dental extraction under GA. We report on a case of sudden SNHL after a dental extraction under GA, and we review the relevant literature.