Description
Sudden sensori-neural hearing loss (SSNHL) is defined
as a change in hearing occurring within 12 hours to 3 days.
The possible causes for SSNHL are thought to be vascular compromise,
viral infection, drug toxicity, autoinimune disease etc. Spontaneous
recovery rates without medical management range from 32% to
65%. Various combinations of drugs have been used for treatment
of SSNHL. The partial or complete response rate to treatment
with systemic steroids range from 49% to 89%. Prolonged use
of high dose steroids has systemic side effects and they penetrate
the blood perilymph barrier poorly. Intratympanic steroids
overcome these problems.
