Sudden bilateral deafness in a patient with vertebrobasilar artery occlusion: A case report

Abstract

Rationale: Sudden bilateral deafness is often associated with serious systematic conditions such as neoplasms, vascular events, autoimmune diseases, infections, and iatrogenic injury, but very rarely to cerebrovascular disease. This is a rare case of sudden bilateral deafness in a patient with the vertebrobasilar artery occlusion. Patient concerns: A 46-year-old man was admitted to a local hospital for sudden bilateral deafness, the patient suffered inarticulate speech and walking unsteadily 6 days later. Diagnoses: Difusion-weighted magnetic resonance imagin demonstrated acute cerebral infarction in the pons and bilateral cerebellum; Magnetic resonance angiography showed vertebrobasilar artery occlusion. Interventions: Aspirin and clopidogrel were given for antiplatelet therapy, revascularization was obtained by endovascular treatment. Outcomes: The symptoms of dysarthria, ataxia and weakness gradually improved and were discharged 14 days after admission revascularization. After 3 months telephone followed-up the patient was self-cared. Lessons: Deafness sometimes can be an early warning sign of impending vertebrobasilar ischemic stroke. Early recognition of deafness with acute ischemic stroke should allow special management, and misdiagnosis may result in significant morbidity, or even mortality.