Complications
Additional episodes of vertigo often signal the development of delayed endolymphatic hydrops. Typically occurs months to years after the labyrinthitis episode. Patients experience room-spinning vertigo, fluctuating hearing, fullness, or tinnitus.
Occurs rarely. May arise when a bacterial otitis media extends into the mastoid air cells that are contiguous with the middle ear.
Usually, mastoiditis responds well to parenteral antibiotics. However, some patients may require a mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty to eradicate all infection and cholesteatoma.
Patients with mild to severe hearing loss may benefit from amplification with a hearing aid provided their speech discrimination is in a serviceable range.
In patients with profound hearing loss a contralateral routing of signals (CROS) hearing aid, Trans-ear hearing aid, or bone-anchored hearing aid (BAHA) helps with the head-shadow effect.[50]
Deafness only occurs after bilateral labyrinthitis or if the non-affected ear had previous significant hearing loss.
Bilateral labyrinthitis is more common after bacterial meningitis.
Most commonly associated with bilateral labyrinthitis secondary to bacterial meningitis.
May require the patient to use a cane or walker if other balance risk factors are present.
Use of this content is subject to our disclaimer