title: Noninvasive intratympanic dexamethasone treatment for sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  Noninvasive intratympanic dexamethasone perfusion (IDP) through the eustachian tube is an effective and safe therapy in cases of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effectiveness and safety of noninvasive IDP through the eustachian tube in patients with SSNHL.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this prospective study, 74 consecutive patients with SSNHL treated between September 2007 and March 2011 were enrolled: 35 patients fitted the criteria for initial treatment in the study (group I), while 39 patients, who had failed systemic therapy, received salvage treatment (group S). IDP through the eustachian tube was applied four times at 2-day intervals. Pure-tone test and tympanometry were performed before starting treatment, and 24 h and 1 week afterwards.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients tolerated the procedure well. No perforation or infection was noticed in any of the patients at their last visit. With regard to the 74 patients who received intratympanic treatment, 80.0% (28 of 35) of the patients in group I and 64.1% (25 of 39) patients in group S had improvement in their hearing ability. Patients with simultaneous symptoms reported that the symptoms were relieved as follows: tinnitus, 73.3% (44/60); vertigo, 76.2% (16/21); and stuffy ear, 81.1% (30/37).
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Beijing Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Qiuying
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Haitao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Xuemei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Junmei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Weining
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004724:Endoscopy; D005064:Eustachian Tube; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006309:Hearing; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014432:Tympanic Membrane; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D003907:Dexamethasone