Superior Canal Dehiscence
Superior canal dehiscence (SCD), one form of perilymphatic fistula, is a clinical condition that results in a constellation of auditory and vestibular symptoms, such as sound- and/or pressure-induced vertigo and nystagmus, hearing loss, and/or autophony (hearing one's own body sounds at an abnormally high sound level). First described by Minor, Solomon, Zinreich, & Zee (1998), SCD occurs when the temporal bone overlying the superior semicircular canal is unusually thin or absent.
Under normal conditions, sound pressure by air conduction enters the fluid-filled inner ear via the oval window and exits via the round window. In superior canal dehiscence, the deficit of bone overlying the semicircular canal results in a third mobile window effect, leading to areas of increased compliance and allowing for the movement of endolymph within the canal in the presence of sound and/or pressure stimuli. These stimuli increase the pressure gradient within the membranous labyrinth resulting from the change in compliance at the dehiscence site, with resulting deflection of the superior canal cupula and a subsequent inhibitory or excitatory response from the vestibular nervous system.
Additional content is being reviewed and will be available shortly.
- Superior Canal Dehiscence: Audiologists Play Vital Role in Differential Diagnosis
- Dehiscence of Bone Overlying the Superior Semicircular Canal as a Cause of an Air-Bone Gap on Audiometry
- Clinical Assessment of Otolith Function
- Signs and Symptoms of Central Vestibular Disorders
- Evaluating Patients With Dizziness and Unsteadiness: A Team Approach
Acknowledgements
Content for ASHA's Practice Portal is developed through a comprehensive process that includes multiple rounds of subject matter expert input and review. ASHA extends its gratitude to the following subject matter experts who were involved in the development of the Superior Canal Dehiscence page.
- Robert F. Burkard, PhD, CCC-A
- Theodore J. Glattke, PhD, CCC-A
- Jaynee A. Handelsman, PhD, CCC-A
- Kristen L. Janky, PhD, CCC-A
- Neil T. Shepard, PhD, CCC-A
Citing Practice Portal Pages
The recommended citation for this Practice Portal page is:
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (n.d.). Superior Canal Dehiscence. (Practice Portal). Retrieved month, day, year, from www.asha.org/Practice-Portal/Clinical-Topics/Superior-Canal-Dehiscence/.
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