Bilateral defects of the tegmen tympani associated with brain and dural prolapse in a patient with pulsatile tinnitus.

A pulsating ear drum is a rare otological finding and usually indicates a vascular pathology. We report the case of a woman who presented with pulsatile tinnitus following an upper respiratory tract infection. She was found to have bilateral pulsating tympanic membranes on otological examination, in association with bilateral dehiscence of the tegmen tympani and a spontaneous encephalocele on the right side and a meningocele on the left side, demonstrated on computerized tomography (CT) scan of her temporal bones.

Venous insufficiency in a young man secondary to a traumatic arteriovenous fistula.

The medical history in a young man who developed varicose veins and venous insufficiency secondary to an acquired arteriovenous fistula in the thigh is presented. The radiological and clinical findings are discussed. The disease process in the development of varicose veins is not fully understood and cannot be satisfactorily explained as a consequence of arterial pressure within the venous system or a defect in the venous valves alone.