[Rupture of the round window - a cause of sudden hearing loss (author's transl)].

Rupture of the round window has been mostly described as an occasional lesion with sudden deafness and vertigo after diving, flying and physical stress, usually according to the patient's history. It also seems to be the cause of sudden progressive hearing loss of so-called idiopathic origin as shown by the findings in 6 out of 9 patients with perilymphatic fistulas. Therefore, transtympanic endoscopic evaluation of the round window is performed in the author's clinic as a routine measure in patients with sudden complete deafness or severe progressive loss of hearing even without any pointer to a possible trauma.