Efficacy of low-dose intratympanic dexamethasone as a salvage treatment for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss: the Modbury Hospital experience.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of low-dose intratympanic dexamethasone therapy in patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss whose hearing in the affected ear had failed to improve following a course of oral steroid therapy.


METHODS
A prospective pilot study was undertaken of eight patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss whose hearing had failed to improve after a course of prednisolone. These patients subsequently received 8 mg intratympanic dexamethasone therapy, delivered via a ventilation tube on a weekly basis for 1 month. Clinical outcome was assessed weekly with pure tone audiography.


RESULTS
At the end of the 1-month treatment period, no significant hearing improvement was observed on pure tone audiography in any of the patients (i.e. improvements were all less than 10 dB).


CONCLUSIONS
The response to 8 mg of intratympanic dexamethasone used as a salvage therapy for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss was inadequate. A higher dosage of intratympanic dexamethasone might be required to achieve better outcomes.
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery,Modbury Hospital,Adelaide,South Australia, Australia.
S
S
Oue
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery,Modbury Hospital,Adelaide,South Australia, Australia.
J
J
Jervis-Bardy
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery,Modbury Hospital,Adelaide,South Australia, Australia.
L
L
Stepan
Division of Surgery,University of Adelaide,South Australia, Australia.
S
S
Chong
Division of Surgery,University of Adelaide,South Australia, Australia.
C-K L
CK
Shaw
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone / Q000379:methods; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016879:Salvage Therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D003907:Dexamethasone