title: Steroid and vasoactive treatment for acute deafness after attempted hearing preservation acoustic neuroma surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether intravenous steroid and vasoactive therapy in the acute postoperative period improves hearing outcome in patients who develop acute deafness after attempted hearing preservation surgery for acoustic neuroma (AN) through a retrosigmoid or a middle cranial fossa approach.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective controlled study in a tertiary care center. Thirty-six patients who had developed acute deafness after hearing preservation surgery for treatment of an AN were reviewed. Preoperative AAOHNS hearing class was A in 2, B in 2 and D in 32 patients. Twenty-seven patients were treated with prednisolone, hydroxyethyl starch 3% and pentoxifylline intravenously for a period of at least 5 days. Nine patients (controls) did not receive any specific steroid or vasoactive therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients in both groups remained deaf.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravenous therapy with prednisolone, hydroxyethyl starch 3% and pentoxifylline in the acute postoperative period does not improve hearing in patients who develop acute deafness after attempted hearing preservation surgery for AN.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Mainz Medical School, Mainz, Germany. gouveris@hno.klinik.uni-mainz.de
authors.forename: Haralampos
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gouveris
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mewes
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maurer
authors.forename: Wolf
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mann
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003638:Deafness / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D016057:Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006895:Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000601:surgery*; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016879:Salvage Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D006895:Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D011239:Prednisolone; D010431:Pentoxifylline