Penner9 and Jaffe10 have postulated that hypercoagulation, embolic, and thrombotic problems may precipitate sudden deafness by affecting the microcirculation of the inner ear. These syndromes have been found to occur in decompression sickness11 and deafness and vestibular attacks are known to occur with diving.4 In our laboratory, we were able to demonstrate severe cochlear potential losses in guinea pigs with the induction of decompression sickness. The problem was largely prevented by the prophylactic administration of heparin. Preliminary study of the temporal bones of a guinea pig with a severe post‐dive vestibular attack and loss of cochlear potential function showed the presence of hemorrhage in the perilymph of the auditory and vestibular system. The above results are interpreted as evidence that hypercoagulation, embolic and thrombotic problems may precipitate a loss of cochlear dysfunction — most likely in a diving situation and potentially in cases of sudden deafness not related to diving.

Dr. J. Donald Harris has previously speculated in the literature that, based on clinical impressions, a group of Navy Divers with post-dive deafness and/or vestibular attacks may have suffered inner-ear hemorrhage. We have found hemorrhage in the inner ear of a guinea pig sacrificed 16 days after a post-dive vestibular attack with cochlear potential function loss. In terms of potential treatment for human divers it is important to determine how soon after the onset of an attack inner-ear hemorrhage can occur. We now have an additional guinea pig with a severe post-dive cochlear potential loss which was sacrificed for histology at 21 hours post-dive. This animal shows a plasma exudate in the inner ear, but no red cells are present. The similarity of these two pathology cases to the results of sympathetic nervous system stimulation by Seymour and Tappin reported in 1953 is discussed. We also consider the possibility that hypercoagulation, embolic, and thrombotic problems may be involved in the etiology of the diving-deafness syndrome. Preliminary results of post-diving deafness treatment with urokinase and urokinase plus heparin are also discussed.

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