Prognostic effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy starting time for sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss is one of the otological emergencies whose pathogenesis is uncertain and associated with total or partial loss of hearing function. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the hyperbaric oxygen therapy starting time affects the management of sudden sensorineural hearing loss. Fifty-nine patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss admitted to our clinic between 2008 and 2012 were retrospectively included in this study. All patients received hyperbaric oxygen therapy. In addition, each patient received intravenous piracetam and 37 patients received steroid therapy. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was initiated between 1 and 7 days with 20 patients determined as Group A, between 8 and 14 days with 25 patients determined as Group B and between 15 and 28 days with 14 patients determined as Group C. Hearing gains of these three groups were statistically evaluated. Each of them showed statistically significant improvement. Lowest hearing gain was observed in Group C and the gain of this group was statistically less than the other two groups. There was no significant difference between the hearing gains of the Group A and Group B. Starting hyperbaric oxygen therapy in patients with sudden sensorineural hearing loss within the first 14 days has positive effect on the prognosis of the disease.