Irreversible Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Post Covid-19 Patients-An Institutional Prospective Study

SARS-CoV-2 virus could damage the hearing by several mechanisms, it could damage the auditory centre in the temporal lobe and direct peripheral injury to the sensory cells of the cochlear due to neurotropism of the virus. A Prospective hospital-based observational study was carried out at a tertiary care centre for a period of 22 months from January 2021 to October 2022. A total of 100 patients were selected according to inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria. Pure-tone audiometry (PTA) was done as a screening test; patients were followed up till 6 months. Among those patients who had hearing loss, repeat audiological profile (PTA) was done after 1 month, 13(65%) patients were found to have normal hearing. After 3 months, repeat PTA was done, 18 patients (90%) found to have normal hearing and the remaining 2 patients followed up till 6 months and again PTA was done where only 1 patient continued to have sensorineural hearing loss.