Idiopathic sudden
sensorineural hearing loss is a rare disorder of unknown pathogenesis in which hearing is lost partially or totally. About 60 treatment modalities have been described. We aimed to compare the efficacy of hyperbaric
oxygen, oral
steroid, intratympanic
steroid therapy and their combinations in idiopathic sudden
sensorineural hearing loss patients. Files of patients who were followed up between 2004 and 2010 in our clinic were examined retrospectively. Patients were divided into four groups according to the
therapy received: Oral
steroid, oral steroid + hyperbaric
oxygen, intratympanic
steroid and hyperbaric
oxygen. Treatment success was assessed by Siegel criteria and mean gains using pre-treatment and post-treatment audiograms. 217 patients and 219 ears were examined. The proportion of patients responding to
therapy was the highest in the oral steroid + hyperbaric
oxygen group with 86.88% (53/61) followed by the oral
steroid group with 63.79% (37/58), the intratympanic
steroid group with 46,51% (20/43) and the hyperbaric
oxygen group with 43.85% (25/57). The proportion of patients who had complete recovery was the highest in the oral steroid + hyperbaric
oxygen group with 42.6% (26/61) followed by the oral
steroid group with 19.0% (11/58), the hyperbaric
oxygen group with 17.5% (10/57) and the intratympanic
steroid group with 11.6% (5/43). The oral steroid + hyperbaric
oxygen group has the highest mean hearing gain among all groups (p < 0.05). Idiopathic sudden
sensorineural hearing loss patients receiving oral steroid + hyperbaric
oxygen combination
therapy have a higher likelihood of recovery than patients receiving oral
steroids, hyperbaric
oxygen or intratympanic
steroids alone.