The Effect of Intratympanic Dexamethasone on Tinnitus in Inner Ear Diseases / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Intratympanic steroid serves as a good therapeutic alternative for various inner ear diseases presenting with vertigo, hearing loss, and tinnitus. This study reports the effect of intratympanically injected dexamethasone (ITDEXA) on tinnitus in various cochlear pathologies. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: 19 patients with cochlear tinnitus (7 sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), 5 noise induced hearing loss, 4 Meniere's disease and 3 acoustic trauma) were subjected to the IT-DEXA. The injection was performed with a spinal needle through the posterior superior quadrant of the tympanic membrane for 2 to 5 consecutive days. RESULTS: The overall improvement rate was 31.6%. Tinnitus was improved in 4 patients with SSNHL and 2 patients with Meniere's disease. Tinnitus was not improved in noise induced hearing loss or acoustic trauma. CONCLUSION: IT-DEXA is a therapeutic modality for tinnitus in SSNHL and Meniere's disease.