Intratympanic injection of dexamethasone for management of labyrinthitis associated with COVID-19 disease resistant cases

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of mixed oral prednisolone and intratympanic dexamethasone (ITID) injection in labyrinthitis, due to COVID 19. METHODS: Seventy-five post-COVID-19 labyrinthitis patients were included. Those patients were treated with systemic oral prednisolone for two weeks and ITID. Patients who refuse ITID were ordered to continue oral prednisolone treatment. Assessment of outcome and audiometry for hearing evaluation was done 1, 2 and 4 weeks as well as 3 months post-treatment. RESULTS: Patients in oral steroid only group were 26 patients, while patients in oral steroid and ITID group were 49 patients. In oral steroid group; 11/26 patients showed complete recovery, 3/26 had partial recovery and 12/26 not recovered. In other group; 38/46 patients had complete recovery, 6 had partial recovery and 5/49 patients not recovered. CONCLUSION: Combined systemic corticosteroid with ITID showed a marked improvement of post-COVID vestibular disorder and hearing loss than only using oral corticosteroid therapy.