Steroid and vasoactive treatment for acute deafness after attempted hearing preservation acoustic neuroma surgery.
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.
Gouveris
Haralampos
H
Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Mainz Medical School, Mainz, Germany. gouveris@hno.klinik.uni-mainz.de
Mewes
Torsten
T
Maurer
Jan
J
Mann
Wolf
W
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*
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D006895:Hydroxyethyl Starch Derivatives; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D011239:Prednisolone; D010431:Pentoxifylline