Intratympanic steroid via saturated gelfoam vs. intratympanic injection for sudden sensorineural hearing loss

The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a novel intratympanic steroid (ITS) therapy via saturated Gelfoam® (GSD) in sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) by comparing with ITS injection therapy.

The patients with SSNHL who received initial ITS therapy with no prior systemic steroid treatment were divided into two groups: the ITS via injection group (Group 1) and the ITS via GSD group (Group 2). The groups were compared in terms of the patients' demographic data, side of ear involvement, vertigo and tinnitus symptoms, comorbidities, initiation time of therapy, hearing level (HL) before and after therapy, word recognition score (WRS) before and after therapy, hearing gain (HG), WRS gain (WRSG), recovery rate (RR), tolerability of the applications and complications.

HL and WRS scores were similar among the groups before therapy. Regarding the hearing outcomes after therapy HG and WRSG between the groups were not significant. In the comparison of RR, Group 2's score (70 %) was significantly higher than that of Group 1 (42.4 %) (p = 0.028). In terms of the tolerability of applications, ITS via GSD application was significantly more tolerable than ITS via injection (p = 0.046). Regarding complications, no otorrhea was observed in any patient, and tympanic membrane perforation was observed in 1 patient (3.33 %) in Group 2, whereas no perforation was observed in Group 1.

Intratympanic GSD is a simple, effective and tolerable technique in the therapy of SSNHL, with success rates similar to those of ITS injection therapy and significant improvements in the RR scores.