Pure-tone audiological examination was performed in 22 neomycin-treated and untreated stable alcoholic cirrhotic patients, 10 of whom had previously undergone porta-caval shunt surgery. Severe sensori-neural hearing losses were found in the shunted group only, regardless of whether or not they had previously received neomycin. Normal audiograms were seen only among non-shunted cirrhotics. Air conduction hearing thresholds for frequencies above 3 kHz were significantly higher (poorer hearing) in the shunted compared to the non-shunted group. Thresholds were also significantly higher in shunted patients who had not received neomycin when compared to non-shunted neomycin untreated cirrhotics. These data indicate that factors other than neomycin may be contributing to the hearing loss encountered in alcoholic cirrhotics.

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