The Optimized Protocol of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy For Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to determine the optimal protocol of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) according to various treatment settings for sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL).Methods: A 112 patients with SSNHL were enrolled in this prospective study. All patients were treated with systemic steroid therapy, intratympanic steroid therapy, and HBOT. According to the pressure and duration of HBOT (10 sessions in total), the patients were divided into three groups: group 1, 2.5 atmospheres absolute (ATA) for 1 h; group 2, 2.5 ATA for 2 h; and group 3, 1.5 ATA for 1 h. The pure-tone average (PTA), word discrimination score (WDS), and mean gain were compared.Results: A total of 105 patients completed the 3-month follow-up, and 6 patients were excluded. Differences among groups were found in PTA, WDS, and mean gain. In the post-hoc analysis, group 3 had significantly lower WDS and mean gain than groups 1 and 2; however, group 2 showed no significant differences from group 1. The proportion of patients with hearing recovery after treatment was significantly higher in group 1 (57.6%) and group 2 (58.8%) than in group 3 (31.3%).Conclusions: When HBOT (10 sessions) was combined with corticosteroids as the initial therapy for SSNHL, a higher pressure (1.5 ATA vs. 2.5 ATA) provided better treatment results; however, increasing the duration (1 h vs. 2 h) under 2.5 ATA did not result in a significant difference. Therefore, HBOT for SSNHL may be performed at 2.5 ATA for 1 h in 10 sessions.

The Effectiveness of Salvage Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Following Combined Steroid Therapy for Refractory Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

“…Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) is a disease characterized by acute hearing loss of 30 decibels (dB) or more in 3 consecutive frequencies within 3 days. 1 Since the etiology of the disease is heterogeneous, various treatment modalities have been developed. 2 In the updated guidelines published in 2019, corticosteroids and hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) are recognized as the primary treatment options.…”

Assessing the Effectiveness of Different Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment Methods in Patients with Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

“…Moreover, HBOT preserves the microcirculation by reducing venular leukocyte adherence and inhibiting progressive adjacent arteriolar vasoconstriction [17]. Currently, no guidelines point to a particular HBOT protocol in patients with SSNHL, but a greater interest in this area has recently been observed [19]. The cited study demonstrated a dependence of pressure applied in the hyperbaric chamber on hearing improvement.…”