Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for
sudden sensorineural hearing loss: a prospective
trial of patients failing steroid and antiviral
treatment
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Otol Neurotol. 2005
Sep;26(5):882-9. |
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Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for
sudden sensorineural hearing loss: a prospective
trial of patients failing steroid and antiviral
treatment.
Horn CE,
Himel HN,
Selesnick SH.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck
Surgery, Weill Medical College, Cornell
University, New York, New York 10021, USA.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety and
efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in
adult patients with sudden sensorineural hearing
loss (SSNHL) who fail standard of care steroid
and antiviral therapy. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective
cohort study. SETTING: An urban tertiary
referral center. PATIENTS: Nine adult patients
presenting with SSNHL from December 2002 through
February 2004. Patients with acute onset SSNHL
of greater than 30 dB in three contiguous
frequencies who failed to show audiometric
improvement after 2 weeks of systemic steroids
and antivirals were enrolled.
INTERVENTIONS:
Study patients received HBOT at 2.0 atmospheric
pressure for 90 minutes while breathing 100%
oxygen under a clear plastic hood in the
chamber. Treatments were administered daily for
10 days over a 2-week period. MAIN OUTCOME
MEASURES: Pre-and postHBOT mean hearing gains
measured in decibels for pure-tone audiometry at
0.5, 1, 2, 3, and 4 KHz for bone and additional
8 KHz for air; pure-tone averages for air and
bone; speech reception thresholds; and speech
discrimination levels. Patient-reported
subjective recovery rates (completely,
substantially, partially, not improved) were
also recorded.
RESULTS: Overall, two patients
had a dramatic improvement, and one patient had
a dramatic improvement in his speech
discrimination without improvement in other
audiometric measures. Six patients had no
demonstrable hearing gains. Two patients had
complications of serous otitis media requiring
myringotomy and pressure equalizing tube
placement. No other complications were observed.
CONCLUSIONS: Secondary HBOT after failure of
systemic steroid and antiviral therapy may be
associated with hearing gains in some patients
with SSNHL.
PMID: 16151333 [PubMed - in process]
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