The Narrowed Internal Auditory Canal: A Distinct Etiology of Pediatric Vestibular Paroxysmia

Vestibular paroxysmia (VP) is a disorder encountered in the pediatric population that etiology has been attributed to neurovascular cross-compression syndrome (NVCC). The purpose of this study was to report a new probable pathological condition, the narrowed internal auditory canal (IAC), which appears to be involved in the development of a clinical picture of VP in the pediatric population. A retrospective descriptive comparative study was conducted to compare clinical, electrophysiological, radiological, and therapeutic outcomes in both etiologies. Overall, 16 pediatric patients suffering from VP were included and divided into two groups: patients with narrowed internal auditory (Group 1) were compared to those with NVCC syndrome (Group 2). Patients in both groups were similar in terms of auditory complaints, as well as hearing, vestibular, and electrophysiological status. A narrowed IAC was encountered in the adolescent age category and females, especially those with rapid growth. The diagnosis requires a careful analysis of the shape and diameters of the IAC. Radiologic measurements in the axial plane do not seem to be sufficient to confirm the diagnosis, and, therefore, an analysis of diameters in the coronal plane is required. Treatment with sodium-channel blockers drugs showed promising results not only by relieving vertigo but also by normalizing the electrophysiological findings. In conclusion, a narrowed IAC can be considered in patients suffering from VP

Superior Semicircular Canal Ampullae Dehiscence As Part of the Spectrum of the Third Window Abnormalities: A Case Study

A 60-year-old man was referred to the ENT department for intense episodic vertigo triggered by loud sounds. Pure tone audiometry and otoneurological assessment, including videonystagmography using auditory stimulation and cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential measures, conducted to the hypothesis of a third window syndrome in the left ear. Results from the high-resolution computed tomography of the petrous bone confirmed the hypothesis and revealed the presence of a submillimeter semicircular canal dehiscence, located between the left lateral and superior semicircular canal ampullae on the left side