Korean J Otorhinolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2022 Feb;65(2):86-92. 10.3342/kjorl-hns.2021.00983.

Evaluation of Effectiveness of Stellate Ganglion Block Treatment of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

• Han SY
• Lee J
• Koo H
• Chung J

• KMID: 2527237
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3342/kjorl-hns.2021.00983

Abstract

Background and Objectives
Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is characterized by sudden onset of impaired hearing, and systemic steroid is the most widely accepted treatment option for it. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of stellate ganglion block (SGB) as a treatment option for SSNHL.
Subjects and Method
A total of 318 patients diagnosed with SSNHL were treated with systemic steroid and SGB (SGB group, 127 patients) or systemic steroid only (non-SGB group, 191 patients). Hearing improvement was defined as a hearing gain of more than slight improvement using Siegel’s criteria.
Results
The SGB group did not show any significant effects on hearing improvement compared with the non-SGB group (60% vs. 65%). However, some patients with profound hearing loss of more than 90 dB have recovered above average after the SGB treatment. Also, we used multiple regression analysis to ascertain which factors influenced hearing recovery, and found that the initial pure-tone audiometry thresholds at 2000 Hz and 4000 Hz were statistically associated with hearing recovery.
Conclusion
In conclusion, SGB did not show a clear therapeutic effect, but suggested the possibility of treatment for improving the inner ear circulation of patients with profound hearing loss.

Keyword

Stellate ganglion; Steroids; Sudden hearing loss