A PROSPECTIVE STUDY ON APPLICATION OF ENDOSCOPIC INTRATYMPANIC INSTILLATION OF PRP V/S STEROID INJECTION IN SUDDEN SENSORINEURAL HEARING LOSS

Background and Aim: Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (SSNHL) is characterized by a sudden decline in auditory function. While traditional treatments like corticosteroids focus on facilitating hearing recovery, emerging therapies, such as intratympanic platelet-rich plasma (PRP), have demonstrated potential in improving treatment outcomes.This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of intratympanic PRP injections and intratympanic steroid therapy in the treatment of SSNHL.

Methodology: After receiving approval from the IEC, 100 patients diagnosed with SSNHL were randomly assigned to two groups: Group A (PRP) and Group B (steroids). Pre- and post-treatment pure tone audiometry (PTA) assessments were performed on all patients, and the results were analyzed to assess the effectiveness of the treatments.

Results: Both groups demonstrated a statistically significant reduction in PTA values after treatment (p < 0.05). Pre-operatively, Group B had higher PTA values [44.165 (36.900-57.325) Hz] compared to Group A [40.0 (33.3225-48.3) Hz]. Post-treatment, PTA values improved to [30.0 (25.0-40.0) Hz] in Group A and [38.665 (28.3-45.4) Hz] in Group B. While intra-group improvements were significant, inter-group differences post-treatment were not statistically significant (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: Intratympanic PRP and steroid therapies are both effective in improving hearing in patients with SSNHL. However, intratympanic steroids remain the preferred first-line treatment. PRP may serve as a secondary option in cases where steroids fail to deliver satisfactory results.