Vol.101 No.9 contentsPRACTICA OTO-RHINO-LARYNGOLOGICA
Vol. 101 No. 9 September 2008
A Case of Anterior Inferior Cerebellar Artery Syndrome
in which Nervous Symptoms Gradually Appeared
Kenya Inukai and Kojiro Ishioka
(Tachikawa General Hospital, Niigata University)
Sugata Takahashi
(Niigata University)
We report a case of anterior inferior cerebellar artery syndrome (AICA syndrome) in which nervous symptoms gradually appeared. A 69-year-old female with hypertension complaining of vertigo with acute hearing loss and tinnitus of the right ear consulted our hospital. An otoneurological examination demonstrated a sensorineural hearing loss in the right ear and horizontal and rotatory gaze nystagmus toward the left. Initially, we treated her for sudden deafness with vertigo. However, right trigeminal verve paralysis, cerebellar symptoms appeared 3 days later. MRI demonstrated a lesion suggesting anterior inferior cerebellar artery infarction. She was therefore diagnosed to have AICA syndrome. In some cases, other neurological symptoms appear after vertigo and sudden hearing loss. Neurological and MRI examination are important for distinguishing cerebellar infarction from inner ear disease.
Key words :sensorineural hearing loss, trigeminal verve paralysis, MRI