gms | German Medical Science

78th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery

16.05. - 20.05.2007, Munich

Article

Send article

Acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss – clinical presentation and therapy

Meeting Abstract

Search Medline for

  • corresponding author Melanie Teschendorf - Department of Otolaryngolgoy/Head and Neck surgery, University of Essen, Essen, Germany
  • author Daniel Mitas - Department of Otolaryngolgoy/Head and Neck surgery, University of Essen, Essen, Germany
  • author Stephan Lang - Department of Otolaryngolgoy/Head and Neck surgery, University of Essen, Essen, Germany
  • author Klaus Jahnke - Department of Otolaryngolgoy/Head and Neck surgery, University of Essen, Essen, Germany

German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. 78th Annual Meeting of the German Society of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Head and Neck Surgery. Munich, 16.-20.05.2007. Düsseldorf, Köln: German Medical Science; 2007. Doc07hno010

The electronic version of this article is the complete one and can be found online at: http://www.egms.de/en/meetings/hno2007/07hno010.shtml

Published: August 8, 2007

© 2007 Teschendorf et al.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/deed.en). You are free: to Share – to copy, distribute and transmit the work, provided the original author and source are credited.

Outline

Text

Introduction: Pathogenetically acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss is thought to be related to endolymphatic hydrops. The aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of several parameters and the results of osmotherapy (infusion 10% mannitol) for the reduction of the endolymphatic volume.

Methods: The records of 166 patients, who were treated at the hospital between 1/1996 and 6/2006 because of an acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss, were studied retrospectively.

Results: The mean age was 48 years. In addition to the sudden hearing loss 112 patients complained about tinnitus and 71 about aural fullness. 146 patients were treated with osmotherapy, 71 of these patients combined with steroids. 20 patients were treated with hemodilution agents combined with osmotherapy and steroids. Complete and partial hearing recovery were achieved in 67,5% (n=112) of all patients, in dehydration therapy alone 75,9%. 30,7% (n=51) of patients showed no change of hearing and 1,8% (n=3) progressive hearing loss. 70 patients were treated before the admission to the hospital. 61,4% of these patients had a complete or partial recovery. No significant side effects were found due to the infusion protocol. From additional diagnostic (e.g. MRI, BAEP, autoantibodys) no further benefit was obtained.

Conclusion: The dehydration therapy with osmoinfusions appears to be effective and safe in the treatment of acute low-tone sensorineural hearing loss.