[Deafness due to renal failure. Clinicopathological study (author's transl)].

In this series of 54 cases of chronic renal failure, the largest number of curves showed a curve of a presbyacousia type (3/4 of the total). This hypoacousia may be related to the length of time for which the renal pathology has existed and, parat from group 0 (patients treated without haemodialysis nor grafting), may be correlated with the curve of the speed of nervous conduction. This latter correlation is particularly close in patients with a strictly isolated renal disease. The aetiology of this deafness would appear to be related to the premature aging provoked by chronic renal failure. The method of surface preparation applied to 5 petrous temporal bones from 3 patients was felt to be of particular value in the study of this pathology. Whilst one case of unilateral sudden deafness of vascular aetiology is reported, no vascular changes were seen in the other petrous temporal bones. Case 7-11 was particularly demonstrative since bilateral deafness with a rapidly progressive descending occurred in the presence of changes in the pre-ganglionic cochlear fibres charaterised by demyelinisation. This was associated with a cell loss of approximately 25% in the spiral ganglion and less marked demyelinisation of the fibres of the vestibular nerve.