Waldenström's macroglobulinemia presenting with bilateral vestibular loss: A case report

The etiopathogenetic role of Waldenström’s Macroglobulinemia (WM) in cochleo-vestibular disorders is still controversial, even if this clinical correlation has been associated either to peripheral hemorrhages and labyrinthine cells hypoxia or to a buoyancy mechanism acting on the cupulae of semicircular canals. We report an original case of a 57-year-old woman who presented with asthenia, progressive dizziness and oscillopsia. An extensive neuro-otologic assessment revealed bilateral loss of both canal and otolith function and high-frequency hearing impairment. Parallel hematologic assessment detected a clinical picture consistent with WM. Hyperviscosity Syndrome and its related vascular damages can likely explain the present vestibular findings, making this case report unique in literature.