Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy as Salvage Therapy for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Neurosurgery
• Diving Medicine

Background:

• Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is a critical condition often treated with steroids.
• Steroid therapy failure necessitates exploring alternative treatments for SSNHL.
• Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy is investigated as a potential salvage treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of HBO therapy as salvage treatment for SSNHL after failed steroid therapy.
• To compare hearing outcomes in SSNHL patients receiving HBO therapy versus those who did not.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 93 patients with SSNHL, unresponsive to systemic steroids, was studied.
• 43 patients received additional HBO therapy, while 50 served as a control group.
• Hearing levels were measured across multiple frequencies before and after treatment.

Main Results:

• Significant hearing threshold improvements were observed at all frequencies for patients with severe hearing loss (>61 dB) treated with HBO.
• Patients with mild-to-moderate hearing loss (≤60 dB) showed improvement only at low frequencies (250 and 500 Hz) with HBO.
• The control group receiving no additional therapy demonstrated no significant hearing improvement.

Conclusions:

• HBO therapy shows promise as a salvage treatment for SSNHL, particularly in severe cases.
• For mild-to-moderate SSNHL, HBO may offer benefits primarily at lower frequencies.
• Further research may refine HBO's role in managing refractory SSNHL.