title: Hyperbaric oxygen therapy after failure of conventional therapy for sudden deafness.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the effect of secondary hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) for patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss after unsuccessful conventional treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated 3 groups: 100 patients without further treatment (group 1), 160 patients with secondary HBO at 1.5 ATA (group 2), and 56 patients with secondary HBO at 2.5 ATA (group 3).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In group 1, a mean hearing gain (MHG) of 2.6 +/- 15 dB was found at the end of the follow-up period. After HBO, a MHG of 3.1 +/- 9 dB in group 2 and 19.7 +/- 23 dB in group 3 was achieved. The results in group 3 were statistically significant in comparison to group 1 (p < 0.007) and to group 2 (p < 0.009). With HBO after initial therapy failure, there is a significant correlation of MHG with time delay before HBO (p < 0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  HBO at 2.5 ATA in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss after unsuccessful conventional treatment yields significant improvement of hearing. MHG is higher when time delay before HBO is shorter.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Catholic University Leuven, Belgium. Christian.Desloovere@uz.kuleuven.ac.be
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Desloovere
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Knecht
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Germonpré
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001299:Audiometry; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged