Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.
2009 Oct;52(10):805-809. 10.3342/kjorl-hns.2009.52.10.805.
Clinical Characteristics and Treatment Results of Sudden Deafness in Children
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, College of Medicine, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Korea. soshin@chungbuk.ac.kr
- KMID: 2074151
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.3342/kjorl-hns.2009.52.10.805
Abstract
- BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Sudden deafness, an important disease characterized by abrupt sensorineural hearing loss, is rare in children and the prognosis in children is accepted to be worse than that in adults. However, clinical studies are not sufficient to define the clinical characteristics and prognosis of sudden deafness in children. The author analyzed clinical manifestation of sudden deafness in children and compared the treatment results of children with those of adults.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
A retrospective analysis was performed in 25 patients (29 ears) who were treated for sudden deafness from January 1993 to May 2008.
RESULTS
1) The overall hearing recovery rate (79%) was significantly higher in adults (53.7%). The prognosis in children less than 10 years old (73%) was also higher than that in adults. 2) The rate of complete recovery (61%) was higher in children than in adults (38.5%).
CONCLUSION
The sudden deafness in children has unique clinical characteristics and the recovery rate is more favorable than in adults.
