Salvage intratympanic steroid therapy for sudden sensorineural hearing loss: our real-life experience in 32 patients

Abstract

To examine the role of salvage intratympanic steroid injections in patients presenting with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss following a poor response to initial oral steroid treatment. A retrospective analysis of patient records over the course of four years was conducted, and pure tone thresholds were reviewed before treatment, after oral steroid therapy and six weeks after intratympanic steroid injection therapy. After oral steroid therapy alone, there was a mean average threshold change of 6.2 dB HL (range, -13.8-33.8 dB). This change was statistically significant for severely affected patients (those with an average presenting threshold of over 71 dB). The mean average threshold improvement following intratympanic steroid injection therapy was 2.9 dB (range, -22.5-61.3 dB); this was not statistically significant. Some patients experienced moderate improvement following intratympanic steroid injection therapy; however, no specific subgroup was identified to benefit more from intratympanic steroid injection therapy.