Abstract
This study investigated the efficacy of hyperbaric
oxygen therapy (HBOT) as a secondary treatment
for patients with idiopathic sudden sensorineural
hearing loss (ISSNHL) in the subacute and chronic
phases. Forty-eight ISSNHL patients (HBOT group)
who had received primary conventional treatment
within 4 weeks after onset and underwent HBOT
between 4 and 20 weeks post-onset were
retrospectively compared with 44 ISSNHL patients
(control group) with primary conventional
treatment alone. Mean hearing gain was slight,
with gains of 5.2 ± 8.9 dB in the HBOT group and
2.0 ± 7.6 dB in the control group. However, no
significant difference was recognized between the
two groups. In the HBOT group, no significant
difference was observed in hearing gain among
patients with HBOT initial time at 4-7, 8-11, 12-15
or 16-20 weeks after onset. Meanwhile, hearing
gain was significantly higher in patients with
profound hearing loss than in the other patients.
We conclude that the effectiveness of secondary
HBOT for ISSNHL patients in either subacute or
chronic phase remains unproven, and thus, the
decision administer HBOT should be made with
caution.
