What Researchers Did
Researchers retrospectively examined patient records to assess the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) as a salvage treatment for idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) after failed oral corticosteroid therapy.
What They Found
The mean gain in pure tone average was 10.55 dB. Mean gains at specific frequencies ranged from 16.94 dB at 0.5 kHz to 2.91 dB at 8 kHz. Overall, 3 patients achieved complete recovery, 1 had partial recovery, 5 had slight recovery, and 25 showed no improvement.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients experiencing sudden sensorineural hearing loss who do not respond to initial corticosteroid treatment, hyperbaric oxygen therapy might offer some benefit, though significant improvement is not guaranteed for everyone. Patients should discuss this option with their audiologist or ENT specialist as a potential secondary treatment.
Canadian Relevance
This study was not conducted in Canada and does not have direct Canadian relevance.
Study Limitations
The study was retrospective, conducted at a single center, and involved a small number of patients, limiting the generalizability of the findings.