MANAGEMENT OF ACUTE SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSS CAUSED BY LABYRINTHITIS DUE TO MIDDLE EAR CHOLESTEATOMA

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness and limitations of medical and surgical interventions for acute sensorineural hearing loss caused by labyrinthitis due to middle ear cholesteatoma. Methods: We examined 13 cases with acute sensorineural hearing loss due to cholestealoma. who received initial medical treatment within 14 days of the onset of hearing loss. After medical treatment, all cases were treated by surgery. Results: Six of the 13 cases demonstrated improvement of their sensorineural hearing loss. of the 6 improved cases. 2 showed improvement after the initial medical treatment for 5 or 6 days. and the other 4 showed improvement after the surgery performed later. The incidences of measurable air conduction and hone conduction hearing were significantly higher in the improved cases. The incidence of purulent otorrhea was significantly higher in the unimproved hearing group. Cunclusions: Although medical treatment as an initial therapy is effective in some cases for improving sensorineural hearing loss, we consider thai it should be limited to approximately 1 week. and that surgery should be performed as early as possible. The presence or absence of measurable hearing before treatment may be a good predictive indicator of whether sensorineural hearing loss is reversible or irreversible. The incidence of otorrhea was higher in the unimproved hearing group.