[Treatment protocol for sudden deafness]

There are two types of rapidly progressive sensorineural hearing loss: sudden hearing loss, which is generally unilateral and develops in less than 72 hours, and rapidly progressive sensorineural hearing loss, which develops over days or months. The origin of sudden deafness is difficult to establish. Several etiopathogenic factors have been postulated, such as viral infection, autoimmune origin, vascular and metabolic disease, rupture of the labyrinthine membrane, and, recently, immune-mediated inner ear disease. We made a retrospective study of 40 patients seen in our department. Patients were given a combined treatment with steroids, nimodipine, heparin, and oxygen. Patients were divided into two groups by intravenous or oral treatment.