Abstract
Recently, local drug application has gained particular attention as a therapeutic strategy for inner ear diseases. In local treatment, therapeutic agents are applied on the round window membrane (RWM) in the middle ear, and transferred into the cochlear fluid through the RWM by diffusion. Sustained delivery of drugs is included critical issues for the efficiency of local therapy. We have performed a clinical trial to test the safety and efficacy of local application of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) using gelatin hydrogels, which enables sustained release of growth factors, for patients with sudden deafness resistant to systemic steroids. The results demonstrate hearing improvement in a half of patients and no occurrence of serious adverse events, indicating the safety and efficacy of local IGF1 treatment via gelatin hydrogels for sudden deafness.
