To investigate the etiology.diagnosis and treatment of pulsatile tinnitus. One case with pulsatile tinnitus in our hospital admitted in May 2012 was reported and the relevant literatures were reviewed. The chief complaint when visited was pulsatile tinnitus. This case was treated by surgery. Pulsatile tinnitus was completely subsided without recurrence. Pulsatile tinnitus is an uncommon otologic symptom, which often presents a diagnostic and treatment dilemma to the otolaryngologist. The majority of patients with pulsatile tinnitus have a treatable cause. Failure to establish correct diagnosis may have disastrous consequences, because a potentially life threatening and underlying disorder may be present.
Adult ; Female ; Humans ; Tinnitus ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy

Tinnitus is the most common disease in Otology, and extremely difficult for treatment in clinic, abnormal events in the cochlea (the abnormal events can result in abnormal neuronal activity in central auditory pathways that can then be finally perceived as tinnitus). Neuroplasticity events at the auditory cortex (AC) have been reported to include hyperactive of cortical neurons and an increase in neuronal synchronization. Our recent studies showed the changes markedly, in the expression of the excitatory glutamate receptor subtype NR2B in mRNA and protein levels, and also some changes in synaptic ultrastructure of neurons in auditory cortex of tinnitus animal. We propose that the mechanisms of tinnitus centralization may arise from abnormal events in the cochlea, and result in abnormal neuronal activity at multiple levels which promote abnormal propagation of neural activity in the central auditory pathway. The plastic change may be positive and adaptive as with learning or memory, or in the compensation after abnormal events in the cochlea that results in new neuronal networks that restore normal function. Alternatively, the neuroplasticity changes might be maladaptive leading perhaps to an imbalance in excitatory and inhibitory events in the brain. Indeed, tinnitus may be the consequence of such maladaptive neuroplasticity brain alterations (synaptic structure) has even gone a step further and described tinnitus as the perceptual manifestation of plastic brain changes that result in abnormal neuronal activity. The neuroplasticity changes may also make tinnitus persists, eventually leading to the existence of tinnitus cochlear-originated in the central pathway. They may also extend to non-sensory areas of the brain giving rise to the attentional and emotional aspects that often accompany the disorder. New pathophysiological insights maybe prompt the development of management approaches to directly target the neuroplasticity processes correlates of tinnitus.
Auditory Cortex ; Humans ; Neuronal Plasticity ; Tinnitus ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy

Adult ; Dura Mater ; blood supply ; Humans ; Intracranial Arteriovenous Malformations ; complications ; diagnosis ; Male ; Tinnitus ; etiology

Intracranial epidermoid cysts are relatively rare congenital inclusion cysts. They are the third most common cerebellopontine angle cistern mass after vestibular schwannoma and meningioma. White epidermoid is a rare variant. We present the first case, to our knowledge, of a white epidermoid cyst anterior to the pontomedullary junction, emphasising its imaging appearance, location and the importance of pre-operative diagnosis, which may reduce operative complications.
Adolescent ; Cerebellar Diseases ; complications ; diagnosis ; Cerebellopontine Angle ; diagnostic imaging ; Epidermal Cyst ; complications ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Male ; Tinnitus ; etiology ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Although pulsatile tinnitus can be audible, objective demonstration of this heartbeat-synchronous sound has rarely been successful. We report a rare case of pulsatile tinnitus in a 44-yr-old female patient, which was induced by a large mastoid emissary vein (MEV) and objectively documented by Doppler sonography of the left posterior auricular region. The tinnitus was intermittent and the patient could adapt to the tinnitus without intervention on the mastoid emissary vein. These findings suggest that a single large MEV can cause pulsatile tinnitus in the absence of other vascular abnormalities, and imaging studies of the posterior fossa and Doppler ultrasonography can aid the diagnosis in such cases.
Adult ; Dilatation, Pathologic/complications ; Female ; Humans ; Jugular Veins/radiography/ultrasonography ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Mastoid/blood supply/ultrasonography ; Tinnitus/*diagnosis/etiology ; Tomography, X-Ray

OBJECTIVE: To investigate hidden hearing loss in tinnitus patients with normal audiograms by means of auditory brainstem response (ABR) and explore the origin of tinnitus. METHOD: Pure tone thresholds, ABR thresholds, amplitude of wave I and wave V of ABR were analyzed in 40 tinnitus patients and 15 controls. RESULT: There was no significantly difference in pure tone thresholds and ABR thresholds between those tinnitus patients and controls while a reduced amplitude of wave I and normal amplitude of wave V of ABR in the tinnitus patients became evident. CONCLUSION Tinnitus patients with normal audiograms have hidden hearing loss at the level of primary auditory nerve and the generation of tinnitus is likely attributed to a homeostatic response of neurons in brainstem.
Acoustic Stimulation ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Audiometry, Pure-Tone ; Auditory Threshold ; Case-Control Studies ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; Female ; Hearing Loss ; diagnosis ; physiopathology ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Tinnitus ; etiology ; physiopathology ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To provide the theory basis for clinical diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of sudden deafness patients, we detected the relative factors of degree of tinnitus of the patients with sudden deafness. METHOD: Prospective analysis was used to compare degree of tinnitus with sex, ears, age, degree of hearing lose, hearing curve type and curative effect of tinnitus and sudden deafness. RESULT: Tinnitus was detected in 87.2% in the 70 patients who with sudden deafness, and the most and least degree of tinnitus patients was the degree 3 (32.9%) and the degree 5 and 6 (0). The total effective rate of sudden deafness and tinnitus was 66.2% and 74.3%, respectively. The statistical analysis shown the degree of tinnitus was not related to sex, ears, age, degree of hearing lose, auditory curve type and curative effect of tinnitus and sudden deafness (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION There was a high rate of tinnitus occurrence in sudden deafness patients, and the moderate degree predominated. The curative effect of tinnitus was better than sudden deafness. There was no relationship between the degree of tinnitus and sex, ears, age, degree of hearing lose, auditory curve type and curative effect of tinnitus and sudden deafness.
Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Factor Analysis, Statistical ; Female ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Hearing Tests ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prognosis ; Prospective Studies ; Tinnitus ; etiology ; Young Adult