title: Clinical analysis of recurrent sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although the literature includes many reports of the causes, pathogenesis, diagnostic criteria, treatment, and prognostic factors of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), few studies have examined recurrent SSNHL. This prompted us to investigate recurrent SSNHL.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of the hearing results of patients with recurrent SSNHL.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed retrospectively the medical charts of 809 patients with SSNHL examined between January 2000 and June 2011 for information on their history, audiometric results, and magnetic resonance imaging findings.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven of the 809 patients had recurrent idiopathic SSNHL. In these 11 patients, the more than partial recovery of hearing after the second attack was poorer than after the first attack, and the second attack of SSNHL was ipsilateral in 10 of the 11 patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The hearing outcome was poorer after a recurrent episode than after the first episode, and SSNHL almost always recurs in the same ear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Hallym University College of Medicine, Hwaseong, Korea.
authors.forename: Il-Seok
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Yong Bok
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Seok Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001299:Audiometry; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D003639:Hearing Loss, Sudden / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult