Superior semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome. Case report.

The authors present the case of a man who had superior semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome in addition to chronic otitis media. This case is atypical because the patient coincidentally had middle ear and mastoid disease, which previously had been treated surgically. The prior ear surgery delayed the diagnosis of superior semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome and increased the complexity of the repair of the superior semicircular canal dehiscence. Superior semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome is a recently recognized syndrome resulting in acute or chronic vestibular symptoms. The diagnosis is made using history, vestibular examination, and computerized tomography studies. Neurosurgeons should be aware that patients with superior semicircular canal dehiscence syndrome who experience disabling chronic or acute vestibular symptoms can be treated using a joint neurosurgical-otological procedure through the middle cranial fossa.