Efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen salvage therapy for sudden sensorineural hearing loss after ineffective primary treatment in the Slovak Republic.

We evaluated the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO₂) therapy used to salvage sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) at a short distance from ineffective primary treatment. We examined the data on 70 patients who suffered from SSNHL. The treatment was administered from 1 to 3 months after the onset of the hearing loss, i.e., after ineffective primary corticosteroid therapy. The monitored group was divided into three subgroups according to the degree of hearing impairment. Treatment success was assessed by using pre- and post-treatment audiograms. A statistically significant improvement in auditory threshold in all three frequency bands was observed in patients with severe hearing impairment of more than 60 dB, with mean auditory gains of 14.5 dB in low frequencies, 11.2 dB in middle (spoken speech) frequencies, and 13.2 dB in high frequencies. In this subgroup, 54.17 % of patients with severe hearing impairment experienced an improvement in hearing gain by 5 dB or more, 33.33 % by > 10 dB, and 25.00 % by > 20 dB. In patients with moderate and slight hearing impairments, the tendency to improve the hearing gain was not statistically significant. Based on our findings, we conclude that salvage HBO₂ treatment in patients with SSNHL is apparently most efficacious for individuals with severe hearing impairment. This finding is valuable for effective resource management in healthcare and public health.