A special case of ear barotrauma caused by hyperbaric oxygen therapy

A special case of ear barotrauma caused by hyperbaric oxygen therapy The problem: A 52-year-old male with prior ear surgery on the right side presented at our department for the first time with a crushing pain behind his right ear, unsteady gait, blurry vision, and confusion. These symptoms occurred in our hospital, during the last 10 min of a hyperbaric oxygen therapy session for chronic posttraumatic tinnitus. Methodology: Audiometry and a CT scan of the brain were performed. Results: The CT scan showed a pneumocephalus, with a dehiscent tegmen as the port of air entry. Conclusions: We recommend careful consideration of the risks of hyperbaric oxygen therapy before treating patients with a history of ear surgery. This is particularly important in cases of chronic tinnitus, because there is currently no definitive evidence of treatment efficacy.