Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2016 Mar;59(3):202-206. 10.3342/kjorl-hns.2016.59.3.202.

Intra-Tympanic Steroid Treatment Alone as an Initial Treatment for the Patients with Severe or Profound Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Medical Problems in Steroid Use

• Jeong SH
• Lee SH
• Kim GJ
• Ha JB
• Park YH
• Kim DK

• KMID: 2160426
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3342/kjorl-hns.2016.59.3.202

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
We investigated the feasibility of intra-tympanic steroid injection (ITS) treatment alone for patients with severe or profound sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), who have medical problems in systemic steroid use.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
Medical records of 43 patients from March 2012 to March 2014 were investigated. Patients who did not have any medical problems in steroid use were treated by systemic steroid but patients with medical problems were treated by ITS alone.
RESULTS
Systemic steroid was used in 32 patients, and 11 patients were treated by ITS alone. The mean follow up periods were 6.5±1.4 weeks for ITS only, and 6.5±2.6 weeks for the systemic steroid group. In the final audiometry results, the mean hearing level and the mean gain of affected ear in the two groups were not different, and the mean differences with unaffected ear in the two groups showed no differences. However, five patients of systemic steroid group recovered completely by Siegel's criteria.
CONCLUSION
ITS only therapy for SSNHL is considered a great alternative for patients whose condition does not allow systemic steroid therapy.

Keyword

Injection; Steroids; Sudden hearing loss; Tympanum

MeSH Terms

Audiometry
Ear
Ear, Middle
Follow-Up Studies
Hearing
Hearing Loss, Sensorineural*
Hearing Loss, Sudden
Humans
Medical Records
Steroids
Steroids