[이데일리 이순용 기자] Professor Kim Min-beom and resident Hong Jun-pyo of the Department of Otolaryngology at Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine Kangbuk Samsung Hospital (Director Shin Hyeon-cheol) proposed a new treatment strategy through the differences in vestibular damage patterns depending on the presence or absence of dizziness in sudden hearing loss.
In most cases, the cause of sudden hearing loss is difficult to determine, but viral infection and vascular disorders within the cochlea are presumed to be the main pathogenic mechanisms. To date, the standard treatment for sudden hearing loss is systemic high-dose steroid administration or intratympanic injection. If the cause is a viral infection, the previous treatment may be effective, but if the cause is a vascular disorder, it is difficult to expect a treatment effect, so hyperbaric oxygen treatment or anticoagulant therapy is considered necessary. However, due to the complex structure of the cochlea, it is often difficult to accurately determine whether the cause of hearing loss is a viral infection or a vascular disorder, making it impossible to provide customized treatment depending on the cause.
Accordingly, the research team of Professor Kim Min-beom of the Department of Otolaryngology at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital confirmed the presence of dizziness and patterns of vestibular damage in 165 patients who visited our hospital with sudden hearing loss from 2017 to 2022 through a hierarchical clustering analysis method. In other words, patients with sudden hearing loss were divided into those with and without dizziness, and the results of the hearing, dizziness, and balance function tests were identified and analyzed for correlation.
As a result, in cases of sudden hearing loss accompanied by dizziness and decreased function of the posterior semicircular canal, the prognosis of existing steroid treatment was poor. Therefore, sudden hearing loss accompanied by dizziness and decreased function of the posterior semicircular canal is highly likely to be caused by vascular disorders, so it is necessary to consider treatments that combine hyperbaric oxygen therapy or anticoagulation therapy from the beginning rather than existing steroid treatments.
Professor Kim Min-beom of the Department of Otolaryngology at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital said, “Sudden hearing loss is a representative otolaryngology emergency, with 40 to 50% of cases resulting in permanent hearing loss even if appropriate treatment is administered in the early stages.” He added, “Above all, it is important to quickly find the cause and implement treatment.” “It is important, and this study allows us to consider new treatments at an early stage,” he said, explaining the significance of the study.
This study was published in ‘Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery’, a top academic journal in the field of otolaryngology.
2024-01-07 08:24:01
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