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Objectives: We evaluated the efficacy of hyperbaric
oxygen (HBO) treatment in patients with sudden
hearing loss unresponsive to medical treatment.
Pat i ents and Methods: Fifty-one patients (37 males,
14 females; mean age 37 years; range 9 to 63 years)
with sudden hearing loss were treated with HBO following
unsuccessful medical treatment. Time elapsed from
the occurrence of sudden hearing loss ranged between
15 to 45 days. Treatment included two sessions daily for
the first three days, followed by a single daily session, to
make 20 sessions of 90 minutes. Treatment was discontinued
because of early recovery in two patients.
Audiometric examinations were made at the end of
every five sessions. The patients were classified
according to age, gender, and audiogram curves.
Re sults: The mean hearing thresholds were 75.3 dB and
65.6 dB before and after treatment, respectively. Recovery
was rated as complete in two patients (3.9%), moderate in
two patients (3.9%), mild in 19 patients (37.25%), and as
no recovery in 28 patients (54.9%). No significant differences
were found between the patient groups in terms of
improvement and hearing gain (p>0.05).
Conclusion: We propose that HBO be resorted to
when other means of medical treatment proves
unsuccessful in patients with sudden hearing loss.