A case of inner ear malformation presenting with adult-onset recurrent meningitis

Abstract

We report a case of inner ear malformation presenting with adult-onset recurrent meningitis. The patient was a 68-year-old man who had congenital deafness of the left ear. He had suffered recurrent meningitis and continuous watery rhinorrhea from the left nasal cavity after a head injury four years ago. We found a colorless serous discharge from his pharyngeal orifice of the Eustachian tube on the left side, and it was considered cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Temporal bone CT showed left cochlear and semicircular ducts hypoplasia （Mondini dysplasia）. Under general anesthesia with spinal drainage, he underwent middle ear multiple obliteration and inner ear window closure to control the perilymph gusher. Cerebrospinal fluid leakage stopped and no meningitis was suffered thereafter. We need to be aware that inner ear malformation can be a cause of recurrent meningitis even in adult-onset cases.