Benign outcome of cochlear implantation in a patient with superficial siderosis

: We report the case of a 38-year-old man with gait disorder and hearing loss. The patient had developed gait disorder due to a cervical meningioma since 4 year-old disappeared for 15 years after the surgical removal of the meningioma. However, at the age of 21 year-old, the gait disorder reappeared and worsened progressively. Sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) and epileptic seizures developed during the disease course, and he was diagnosed with superficial siderosis (SS). When he was 37 years old, he experienced sudden-onset of right-side hearing impairment and was considered a candidate for cochlear implantation (CI) at the otorhinolaryngology clinic of the nearby University Hospital. He underwent CI in November 2014. Eight months after the operation, his right side hearing improved although ataxia, hearing loss, and pyramidal sign persisted. At the long term follow-up of 29 months after CI, his hearing remained at the improved level. Thus, CI may be an effective long-term treatment for SNHL in patients with SS and could prevent the progression of his hearing loss. (Received February 1, 2017; Accepted August 23, 2017; Published January 1, 2018).