Abstract
A 27-year-old man complained of dizziness immediately after his left ear was sprayed with a fire hose. Otological examination revealed transparent fluid continuing to flow through a small perforation in his left tympanic membrane. On the following day, the tympanic membrane was dry and no transparent fluid was seen. The dizziness disappeared promptly and the sensorineural component of hearing loss was so slight as to be overlooked. At operation 23 days after the accident, there was a constant flow of perilymph from the round window. This case suggests that there are labyrinthine window ruptures with neither vertigo nor hearing loss. Clinical manifestations of labyrinthine window rupture are discussed with reference to so-called “silent fistula”.
