Sudden deafness in relapsing polychondritis. A scanning electron microscopy study.

The left ear of a 57-year-old female who suffered sudden deafness during the course of relapsing polychondritis was examined under a scanning electron microscope. Marked degeneration of the organ of Corti in all turns and dislocated and encapsulated tectorial membrane were found in the cochlea. Marked decrease in number of the sensory cells in the utricular and saccular maculae and total loss of sensory hair bundles in the ampullary cristae of the semicircular canals were seen in the vestibule. These findings strongly suggest that the cause of sudden deafness in this case might be viral. The usefulness of scanning electron microscopy in human temporal bone pathology is stressed.