[Sympathetic trunk treatment or infusion therapy in cases of sudden deafness (author's transl)]

Abstract

The optimal criterion for registering the result of a sudden-deafness-therapy is a class interval of 25 dB in the audiogram, followed by punctal evaluation of the mean value of the frequencies 0,5/1/2/4/8 kc/sec. Blocking of the sympathetic trunk, as well as infusions using low-molecular dextranes or derivatives of nicotnic acid, furthermore strictly oral treatment as well as combinations of all these, all lead to a statistically proved recovery of hearing. The extent of improvement is ascertainbly smaller with strictly oral treatment than with blocking the sympathetic trunk or with infusions. Hearing is slightly more improved by blocking the sympathetic trunk than by infusional treatment. Statistically however, the difference is not significant. Low-molecular dextran (Rheomakrodex) is not superior to Xantinol-Nicotinate (Complamin). Future investigations in the assessment of therapeutical results should exclusively evaluate unilateral sudden deafness and include the intact second ear into the computation.