Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Previous studies suggest the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) in idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL) but it is mostly used as an adjuvant and salvage treatment. This study evaluated the effect of primary HBOT according to pretreatment hearing grades and hearing recovery outcomes using modified Siegel's criteria in patients with ISSNHL. METHODS: Fifty-nine ISSNHL patients treated with only HBOT were included. A pure-tone audiogram was recorded before and after a course of HBOT (90 min at 203 kPa daily for 20 days). Using the modified Siegel's criteria, patients were divided into groups according to hearing threshold before and after treatment. RESULTS: Hearing thresholds were significantly lower after HBOT compared to pre-treatment values across all patients (P < 0.001) with a median value of recovery of 22.5 dB (interquartile range 12.5-33.7 dB). Significantly lower hearing threshold values were recorded at 500, 1,000, 2,000, and 4,000 Hz after treatment (P < 0.001). The greatest recovery was at 1,000 Hz, (change in median threshold = 32 dB) but without a significant difference compared to other frequencies (P = 0.10). CONCLUSIONS: HBOT is a legitimate choice as the primary treatment for ISSNHL, especially if it is readily accessible, and if there are contraindications for corticosteroid therapy.