Vascular Defect — Sigmoid Sinus Diverticulum (SSD) — Causing My Pulsatile Tinnitus

[Teresa Carter]

Hello,

I just recently found out through imaging, I have a vascular defect, Sigmoid Sinus Diverticulum (SSD), that is causing the pulsation tinnitus. I used to be able to stop it by pressing on my jugular but that's not working anymore. Surgery seems risky but I just may try it because I'm at my wits' end!

 

[Frédéric]

Surgical efficacy analysis of venous pulsatile tinnitus related to sigmoid sinus diverticulum

Objective:
To discuss the outcomes of the surgical treatment of venous pulsatile tinnitus caused by sigmoid sinus diverticulum.

Method:
Fifty-eight patients with venous pulsatile tinnitus caused by unilateral sigmoid sinus diverticulum were admitted. The patients' tinnitus was graded and treated by sigmoid sinus bone wall reconstruction. The maximum cross-sectional area of sigmoid sinus diverticulum defect was measured in 28 patientsc. All the patients were followed up for 3 to 44 months after operation to analyze the improvement of postoperative tinnitus, the relationship between the size of the sigmoid sinus cross-sectional area and the degree of tinnitus and length of disease statistically.

Result:
Postoperative tinnitus was cured in 41 cases（70.69%）,markedly effective in 10 cases（17.24%）, effective in 3 cases（5.17%） and ineffective in 4 cases（6.90%）. There was a statistically significant difference in the degree of tinnitus before and after surgery （P<0.05）. Pearson correlation analysis showed thatthe maximum cross-sectional area of the sigmoid sinus diverticulum defect was not significantly correlated with the degree of tinnitus and the length of the disease in 28 patients （P>0.05).

Conclusion:
The sigmoid sinus bone wall reconstruction can effectively relieve venous pulsatile tinnitus related to sigmoid sinus diverticulum while ensuring patient safety.

Source:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33254339/