An Unusual Presentation of Hearing Impairment in an Adult with Pineal Region Germinoma: A Case Report

Abstract

Tumors of the pineal region typically present with symptoms and signs of mass effect and increased intracranial pressure. However, although rare and can be overlooked, hearing impairment is a potential clinical finding in these cases. The authors describe a 24-year-old male who presented to the emergency room complaining of bilateral hearing impairment. Brain computed tomography showed a pineal region tumor. Histopathological examination demonstrated features consistent with germinoma. This case reports a rare presentation rarely seen in the literature and in practice as evident by the conducted literature review. Therefore, we highlight the importance of considering hearing impairment as a presenting symptom of pineal region tumors since prompt recognition and intervention, as demonstrated in this case, can lead to successful outcomes.

Keywords

• auditory pathways
• pineal region tumor
• germinoma
• hearing impairment
• case report
• neurosurgery