Management of vascular causes of pulsatile tinnitus

J Neurointerv Surg. 2022 Nov;14(11):1151-1157. doi: 10.1136/neurintsurg-2021-018015. Epub 2022 Feb 10.

Abstract

Pulsatile tinnitus is a debilitating symptom affecting millions of Americans and can be a harbinger of hemorrhagic or ischemic stroke. Careful diagnostic evaluation of pulsatile tinnitus is critical in providing optimal care and guiding the appropriate treatment strategy. When a vascular cause of pulsatile tinnitus has been established, attention must be focused on the patient's risk of hemorrhagic stroke, ischemic stroke, or blindness, as well as the risks of the available treatment options, in order to guide decision-making. Herein we review our approach to management of the vascular causes of pulsatile tinnitus and provide a literature review while highlighting gaps in our current knowledge and evidence basis.

Keywords: blood flow; brain; fistula; intervention; intracranial pressure.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Ischemic Stroke*
  • Tinnitus* / diagnosis
  • Tinnitus* / etiology
  • Tinnitus* / therapy