Does the addition of hyperbaric oxygen therapy to the conventional treatment modalities influence the outcome of sudden deafness?

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic effects of the addition of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy to the conventional therapies in sudden deafness (SD) and to investigate the influence of patient age on the effectiveness of HBO therapy. Study Design and Setting: We undertook a retrospective review of 50 cases of SD treated at a tertiary university hospital. Twenty-five patients (group 1) were treated with betahistine hydrochloride, prednisone, and daily stellate ganglion block. A second group (group 2) of 25 patients received the same basic treatment with the addition of HBO therapy. Results: The mean hearing gain was 20.0 dB in group 1 and 37.9 dB in group 2 ( P < 0.05). In group 2 patients, the mean gains were 51.4 and 23.3 dB for those younger and older than 50 years ( P < 0.05) and 48.9 and 14.5 dB for those younger and older than 60 years ( P < 0.001), respectively. In patients older than 60 years, the mean gains were 14.5 and 14.4 dB in group 2 and group 1, respectively ( P > 0.05). Conclusions: The addition of HBO therapy to the conventional treatment significantly improves the outcome of SD, especially in patients younger than 50 years. Additional HBO therapy provides limited benefit in patients older than 50 years and no benefit in patients older than 60 years. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2002;126:121-26.)