Sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Sudden onset sensorineural hearing loss is a medical emergency that continues to be poorly understood despite being recognized in the literature since 1944 (De Kleyn, 1944). A commonly used criterion to qualify for this diagnosis is a sensorineural hearing loss over three contiguous pure-tone frequencies of 30 dB or more that develops within 72 hours. The vast majority of cases are unilateral and the estimated annual incidence is 20 per 100 000 persons (Nosrati-Zarenoe et al, 2007). A cause for the hearing loss is only identified in up to 10% of cases but 50% of patients will improve spontaneously (Penido et al, 2009).