Relapsing polychondritis: A rare cause of sudden severe sensorineural hearing loss

• Main Authors: Asha'ari, Zamzil Amin, Razali, Mohd. Sayuti, Yusof, Rosnida Azura
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ministry of Health and Universiti Brunei Darussalem 2013
• Subjects: RF Otorhinolaryngology
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/31254/1/BIMJ_RP.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/31254/

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a very rare diseas e, and the symptoms can be vague. This case report serves as a reminder to take RP into consideration in patients with sudden hearing loss, with concur� rent features of recurrent cartilaginous inflammati on. A young lady presented with recurrent eye in� flammation for two years and sought treatments from various general practitioners and ophthalmolo� gists. Each attack was successfully controlled with a short course of oral or topical steroids. She la ter developed sudden onset aural perichondritis and sev ere bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and a diag nosis of RP was made after clinical and laboratory assessments. Delay in the diagnosis and treatment has led to permanent hearing loss in this patient.