Temporal Bone Findings in a Case Treated with Hemodialysis

Abstract

A 65-year-old woman with chronic renal failure had been treated with homodialysis.
Five years after the start of homodialysis, she developed partial hearing loss in both ears, and 21 months later her hearing loss suddenly increased and vertigo developed.
The right temporal bone showed moderate collapse of Reissner's membrane and flattening of the organ of Corti in all turns of the cochlea. The tectorial membrane in the basal turn of the cochlea was tightly adherent to Reissner's membrane. The saccular wall was partially collapsed on its macula. The copula of the semicircular canals showed concentrated changes. However, the sensory epithelium of the vestibules and semicircular canals appeared normal.
The left temporal bone abnormalities were almost the same.
These changes were similar to those found in viral infections.