Sudden sensorineural hearing loss due to the initial manifestation of hematologic disease is very rare. Chronic myelogenous leukemia has been implicated as a causative factor of sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Leukemic infiltration,
hemorrhage,
infection, and hyperviscosity have been suggested as possible mechanisms in patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia. A 49-year-old male presented unilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss. The patient was found to have chronic myelogenous
leukemia
during the work-up for the hearing loss. the WBC count upon admission was 485,100/㎣. Hemoglobin, hematocrit, and platelet count were within the normal limits. The patient underwent three cycles of leukapheresis and chemotherapy with interferon
alpha
and hydroxyurea for the treatment of leukemia. The hearing threshold level was 75 dB on admission. It improved to 35 dB when the WBC count fell to 294,000/㎣, and finally settled at 32 dB two weeks after the termination of chemotherapy when the
WBC
count was 125,900/㎣. We present a case of a chronic myelogenous leukemia patient who initially presented with sudden sensorineural hearing loss. We presume that cochlear vessel occlusion as a result of elevated blood viscosity was responsible
for
this
patient's hearing loss. Early onset of sudden deafness in a chronic myelogenous leukemai patient may be due to the hyperviscosity syndrome and be possible to reverse hearing loss through early leukaphersis.
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