Abstract
The author reviewed the otological findings in 226 cases of sudden sensori-neural hearing impairment encountered over a ten-year period at Jichi Medical School Hospital. No definite cause of deafness was detectable in 202 (89%) out of the 226 cases. However, four (1.8%) were diagnosed later as acoustic neurinoma, one (0.4%) metastasized liver carcinoma in the temporal bone, nine (4.0%) initial attack of Meniere's disease, three (1.3%) mumps deafness, five (2.2%) Williams' disease (endolymphatic hydrops without vertigo), two (0.9%) perilymphatic fistula, respectively. The etiology, incidence, treatment and prognosis of each disease are briefly discussed.
