Superior petrosal sinus causing superior canal dehiscence syndrome

• Published in: Journal of laryngology and otology Vol. 131; no. 7; pp. 593 - 597
• Main Authors: Schneiders, S M D, Rainsbury, J W, Hensen, E F, Irving, R M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge, UK Cambridge University Press 01.07.2017
• Subjects: Adult; Cavernous Sinus; Computed tomography; Dehiscence; Eye movements; Female; Head injuries; Hearing loss; Humans; Image Enhancement; Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; Labyrinth Diseases - diagnosis; Labyrinth Diseases - etiology; Main Articles; Male; Medical imaging; Meniere Disease - diagnosis; Meniere Disease - etiology; Middle Aged; Otolaryngology; Postural Balance - physiology; Pressure; Semicircular Canals; Sensation Disorders - diagnosis; Sensation Disorders - etiology; Sinus; Sinuses; Sound; Surgery; Tinnitus; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Vertigo; Superior Petrosal Sinus; Tinnitus; Semicircular Canals; Vertigo; Hearing Loss
• ISSN: 0022-2151; 1748-5460
• DOI: 10.1017/S0022215117001013

To determine signs and symptoms for superior canal dehiscence syndrome caused by the superior petrosal sinus. A review of the English-language literature on PubMed and Embase databases was conducted, in addition to a multi-centre case series report. The most common symptoms of 17 patients with superior petrosal sinus related superior canal dehiscence syndrome were: hearing loss (53 per cent), aural fullness (47 per cent), pulsatile tinnitus (41 per cent) and pressure-induced vertigo (41 per cent). The diagnosis was made by demonstration of the characteristic bony groove of the superior petrosal sinus and the 'cookie bite' out of the superior semicircular canal on computed tomography imaging. Pulsatile tinnitus, hearing loss, aural fullness and pressure-induced vertigo are the most common symptoms in superior petrosal sinus related superior canal dehiscence syndrome. Compared to superior canal dehiscence syndrome caused by the more common apical location of the dehiscence, pulsatile tinnitus and exercise-induced vertigo are more frequent, while sound-induced vertigo and autophony are less frequent. There is, however, considerable overlap between the two subtypes. The distinction cannot as yet be made on clinical signs and symptoms alone, and requires careful analysis of computed tomography imaging.