Intratympanic injection of dexamethasone as an alternative treatment of steroid-dependent sensorineural hearing loss associated with aortitis syndrome.

We report a 44-year-old Japanese woman who presented with fluctuating hearing loss. She suffered from aortitis syndrome (AS) since she was 30-year-old and took daily tablets of prednisolone (10mg). Pure tone audiometry showed bilateral high-tone sensorineural hearing loss. Although her hearing recovered with higher doses of steroids, she was concerned about the systemic side effects of frequent administration of high doses of steroids. Thus, she underwent intratympanic injection of dexamethasone at the time of worsening of hearing. Her hearing has been maintained by intratympanic injection of dexamethasone. Intratympanic injection of steroids may be an alternative treatment for hearing loss associated with AS.