[Antiarrhythmic agents in tinnitus treatment].

The treatment of tinnitus patients is a major problem in ENT. This depends on the fact that no objective parameter exists for this symptom. Therefore, every treatment schedule should meet the criteria of a rational tinnitus treatment. The value of lidocaine in the management of the tinnitus patient was assessed in a randomised blind-controlled cross-over trial. 20 patients with sensorineural hearing loss of different kinds and a well defined tinnitus were treated by an intravenous infusion of lidocaine. 13 patients reported a tinnitus suppression of more than 50 per cent, whereas there was no response with saline. These subjective changes were accompanied by BERA alterations such as a reversible lengthening of central conduction time without hearing impairment. The mechanism of action of lidocaine in tinnitus is discussed according to electrophysiological hypotheses.