A 53-year-old man from the Netherlands, suffering from rare pulsatile tinnitus, went through a microvascular neurosurgery at Apollo Hospital three weeks ago and has reported significant improvement in his condition.

A person with pulsatile tinnitus hears whooshing, thumping or throbbing sounds in his/her ears.

Ayele Amelework was discharged five days after the surgery. He said he has seen almost 90% improvement. The non-stop, loud whoosh was replaced by a mild, soft hissing sound. Ayele described it "as similar to the slow leaking sound of air from a cycle tube".

Doctors at Apollo Hospital said the patient had endured the non-stop, loud whoosh day and night for over two years. It coincided with his heartbeat. He became irritable, lost appetite and weight. He could not sleep, despite taking sleeping pills regularly. He was examined by several doctors in the Netherlands. An MRI scan of his brain revealed gross compression of the hearing nerve by arteries, which were more than twice the normal size. Seeking a solution to this complex and debilitating condition, the patient contacted Apollo Hospital.

The patient was examined by Dr (professor) Ameet Kishore, an ENT surgeon, and Dr Pranav Kumar, a neurosurgeon. A complex microvascular surgery was performed. While the surgery is not new, it is challenging. The surgery is rarely attempted as it carries considerable risk and has a high failure rate, the doctors said.

"I was stressed out and irritated due to lack of sleep. My blood pressure was fluctuating. I had gone to several doctors but despite the diagnosis, it couldn't be treated or operated on there (the Netherlands). I am feeling much better. Now, I can sleep without taking pills after almost two years," he said.

Dr Kumar said: "The patient's MRI scan revealed a pretty complex anatomy. The auditory nerve had multiple levels of compression. At one point, it was being tightly strangulated by one of the arteries. It was quite a challenging and demanding surgery. We are happy our efforts have led to a significant improvement in the patient's life."

Source: Times of India