title: Intratympanic steroid injection for Bell's palsy: preliminary randomized controlled study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate adjuvant effect and safety of intratympanic steroid for the treatment of Bell's palsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, investigator blinded, randomized study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients who received treatment for Bell's palsy from December 2007 to March 2011 were randomly divided into two groups. The control group (n = 17) was treated with systemic steroid plus antiviral agent, and intratympanic steroid injection group (IT group, n = 14) received intratympanic steroid injection combined with medications. Facial functions were evaluated on a regular basis up to 6 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intratympanic steroid injection.
  
  
  METHODS
  Facial nerve functions of initial presentation and follow-up were evaluated with House-Brackmann (H-B) system. Primary outcome was complete recovery rate of 6 months. Secondary outcomes included improvement of H-B grade within 3 weeks, time of first improvement in facial function, and cumulative recovery rate. In addition, subgroup analysis of H-B grade over than IV was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete recovery rate was not different between groups. Time of first improvement was shorter in IT group (p = 0.043). And IT group had a better cumulative recovery rate (p = 0.041) and showed the significant improvement in H-B grade within 3 weeks compared with control group (p = 0.045). In severe facial palsy, complete recovery rate of IT group and control group were 80% and 50% (p = 0.16), and IT groups showed the significant facial improvement within 3 weeks (p = 0.025). And there were no major adverse effects of intratympanic injection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intratympanic steroid injection might be a safe and useful adjuvant treatment modality for Bell's palsy.
authors.affiliation: Departments of *Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and †Neurology, School of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Ho
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Chul Won
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Seung Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Beom Seok
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seok Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Hyun Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seung Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000998:Antiviral Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D020330:Bell Palsy / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000187:drug effects*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000998:Antiviral Agents