Absent stapedial reflex: otosclerosis or middle ear tumor?

Ear Nose Throat J. 2013 Feb;92(2):E1-2.

Abstract

We present an unusual case in which a patient diagnosed as having otosclerosis on the basis of clinical and audiologic findings actually had a middle ear facial nerve schwannoma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case in English literature in which a facial nerve schwannoma presented with conductive deafness of gradual onset and absent stapedial reflex with a normally functioning facial nerve. We also include a review of the literature.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cranial Nerve Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Cranial Nerve Neoplasms / physiopathology*
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Ear Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Ear Neoplasms / physiopathology*
  • Ear, Middle / physiopathology*
  • Facial Nerve Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Facial Nerve Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted
  • Male
  • Neurilemmoma / diagnosis*
  • Neurilemmoma / physiopathology*
  • Otosclerosis / diagnosis*
  • Otosclerosis / physiopathology*
  • Reflex, Abnormal / physiology*
  • Reflex, Acoustic / physiology*
  • Stapedius / physiopathology*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed