Sudden deafness as an initial presenting symptom of posterior inferior cerebellar artery infarction: two case reports

Abstract

This paper reports on two patients with posterior inferior cerebellar artery infarction whose only presenting complaint was acute unilateral hearing loss. In the two cases reported, sudden hearing loss was an initial symptom, with no other neurological signs. Infarction in the territory of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery was diagnosed using brain magnetic resolution imaging. The patients had some degree of hearing improvement 3 or 4 days after initial treatment. In this article, new cases of posterior inferior cerebellar artery infarction presenting as sudden deafness, without prominent neurological signs, are described. Otologists should be aware that hearing loss can sometimes appear as a warning sign of impending posterior inferior cerebellar artery infarction.