Evaluating the Effects of Intratympanic Dexamethasone and Lidocaine in Refaractory Tinnitus

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the effect of intratympanic dexamethasone and lidocaine in minimizing refractory tinnitus.Background: Tinnitus is one of the most annoying otologic problems that may affect the quality of life. Tinnitus has many varieties in its intensity and duration. The management of tinnitus includes a lot of options that could be medical therapy, psychotherapy and physiotherapy. Steroids are known to be one of lines of its treatment with variable effects, so that lidocaine could have additive effect on the treatment of idiopathic tinnitus.Patients and Methods: This clinical trial study includes 56 people who had been diagnosed with refractory tinnitus that was diagnosed in these patients depending on failure of gingko biloba over 4 weeks. These patients were randomly divided into two groups, group A of 32 cases treated with intratympanic injection of lidocaine and dexamethasone and group B of 24 cases treated with intratympanic injection of dexamethasone. Improvement was evaluated in both groups before and after the procedure.Results:There was statistical significant difference among studied groups comparing Tinnitus Handicap Inventory scoring before and after the intra-tympanic injection. There was non-statistical significant difference between both groups with tinnitus of low-frequency. But there was statistical significant difference between both groups with tinnitus of high-frequency.Conclusion: Intratympanic injection of lidocaine with dexamethasone in refractory tinnitus showed significant better results especially at low frequency tinnitus. This technique was evaluated with few temporary side effects.