KUMJ | VOL. 24 | NO. 2 | ISSUE 95 | APRIL - JUNE, 2026

Hearing Outcome of Intra-tympanic Methylprednisolone in Patients with Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss-A crosssectional study at Patan hospital
Shrestha N, Nepal A, Yadav D, Dangol B, Paneru M

Abstract:
Background Intratympanic Steroid, even in low dose causes effective therapeutic concentration in inner ear fluid and hence is emerging in the treatment of Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss for its lower systemic side effects. Guidelines still recommends it for the salvage therapy so lacks consensus on its use as an initial therapy. Objective To evaluate the hearing outcome of initial intratympanic methylprednisolone injection in Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss. Method This is a retrospective chart review of the patients who received intratympanic injections of methylprednisolone for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss from January 2020 to January 2023 at department of ENT-HNS, Patan Academy of Health Sciences (PAHS), Lalitpur, Nepal. Hearing outcome of patients who presented within 15 days of onset of symptoms (group I) and after that (group II) were evaluated. Result Total of 50 patients, who received intratympanic methylprednisolone were included, 43 in group I and seven in group II. There was statistically significant hearing improvement with mean difference of 18.744dB, 29.184dB and 36.682dB after 1st, 2nd and 3rd injection respectively in group I. In group II hearing improvement with mean difference of 13.000dB, 17.143dB, 22.143dB was seen with no statistical significance. Similarly, in group I, 26,23 and four had complete, partial and no recovery respectively and in group II one had complete recovery and four and three had partial and no recovery after the 3rd dose of injection. Only one case reported severe ear ache post injection which was managed with oral analgesics. Conclusion Intra tympanic steroid can be considered as the initial treatment for Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss without complication with good hearing outcome.
Keyword : Intratympanic injections, Methylprednisolone, Sudden sensorneural hearing loss, Steroid therapy