유일청이에 발생한 돌발성 난청

Background and Objectives: Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL) on the only hearing ear makes bilateral hearing disturbance which decreases the quality of life and increases anxiety about total deafness. The authors analyzed characteristics and otological hearing outcomes of the patients with ISSHL on their only hearing ears. Subjects and Methods: Clinical and otological data of 824 ISSHL patients from 1998 to 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. Forty-three patients had ISSHL on their only hearing ears (male 15, female 28, mean age, 50 years). The control group matching age and sex was selected (n=40) to compare the recovery rate. Results: After treatment of ISSHL, 16 cases among 43 patients (37.2%) experienced improvement of hearing (complete recovery 4 (9.3%), partial recovery 6 (14.0%) and slight improvement 6 (14.0%)). Hearing outcomes were better when the patients were treated within 2 weeks after the attack of this disease (43.2% vs. 0%, p=0.049). Recovery rate of worse opposite hearing level was better than the other (47.1% vs. 0%, p=0.009). Age, sex, related otological symptoms (tinnitus or dizziness), systemic disease (diabetes or hypertension), severity of hearing loss, etiology of contralateral hearing loss, additional treatment method and type of audiogram had no relationship with recovery rate. ISSHL on the only hearing ear group showed a lower recovery rate than the control group, but the results were not statistically significant (p=0.064). Conclusions: Hearing recovery rate was different according to the opposite hearing level and the timing of initial treatment in patients with ISSHL on the only hearing ear. Early diagnosis and proper treatment for ISSHL on the only hearing ear are important to improve hearing recovery. (J Clinical Otolaryngol 2016;27:84–91)