Int. Adv. Otol. 2009; 6(1); 94-96

Unilateral hypoplasia of venous system of brain; a contraindication to the ligation of internal jugular vein in the treatment of venous pulsatile tinnitus
Devrim Bektas, Refik Caylan
KTU Medical School, Otolaryngology Dept. Trabzon, Turkey. devrimbektas@yahoo.com

Pulsatile tinnitus of venous origin is a relatively rare diagnosis. When it originates from turbulent flow within the transversesigmoid-
jugular system, the surgeons are often tend to block tinnitus creating venous flow. In the presence of a contralateral
underdeveloped venous system surgery, internal jugular vein ligation may lead to fatal consequences. We report a 30-year-old
female patient with venous pulsatile tinnitus and contralateral hypoplastic venous system of the brain. In the planning of any
surgical method having a major interference with the venous blood flow of the brain, the surgeon should make necessary
measures to insure an adequate contralateral venous system.