THE PERILYMPHATIC HYPERTENSION SYNDROME

Perilymphatic hypertension is usually related to gushers which occur in the operating room when the stapes footplate is punctured or removed. These patients present defects in the modiolus, or enlarged cochlear aqueducts, which allow easy access of spinal fluid to the perilymphatic space. This syndrome was detected in children and appears to present consistent audiological patterns. They present a mixed hearing loss and in spite of the presence of an air-bone gap the stapedial reflexes are present. These children benefit from the use of hearing aids but show very little insertion gain in the low frequencies when tested with real-ear measurements.