Abstract:ObjectiveTo investigate the therapeutic effect of intratympanic methylprednisolone injection for total sudden deafness after initial treatment failure as salvage treatment.Methods55 patients with diagnosis of total sudden deafness, who failed in responding to a twoweek course of initial treatment, were divided into experimental group (intratympanic methylprednisolone injection plus oral administration of mecobalamine, n=26) and control group (oral administration of mecobalamine, n=29). Puretone threshold audiometry was performed within 4 weeks after the salvage treatment.ResultsThe average puretone threshold (APT) and APT improvement of the experimental group were 59.88±9.54 dB and 18.08±10.06 dB respectively, while those of the control group were 67.62±7.63 dB and 11.48±6.34 dB. Both differences of APT and APT improvement between the two groups were statistically significant (both P<0.05).The obvious effective and total effective rates of the experimental group were 30.77%(8/26) and 46.15%(12/26), and those of the control group were 6.89%(2/29) and 10.34%(3/29). The differences of the obvious effective and total effective rates between the two groups were also statistically significant (both P<0.05).ConclusionIntratympanic methylprednisolone injection is beneficial as salvage treatment for total sudden deafness failed in responding to initial treatment.