Sudden sensorineural hearing loss secondary to metronidazole ototoxicity

A 30-year-old Indian gentleman presented to the emergency department of the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, Melbourne, with a history of bilateral profound deafness, tinnitus and headache associated with upper- and lower-limb paraesthesia and myalgia. He had been taking metronidazole (400 mg tds) and amoxycillin (500 mg tds) over the preceding 4 days to treat gingivitis. Further questioning revealed that his maternal uncle had experienced identical symptoms while taking metronidazole. Consequently, his metronidazole was immediately discontinued.