The NGF Point-Injection for Treatment of the Sound-Perceiving Nerve Deafness and Tinnitus in 68 Cases

Objective: To observe the therapeutic effects of the point-injection with nerve growth factor (NGF) for the sound-perceiving nerve deafness and tinnitus. Methods: The 140 cases in this series were randomly divided into a treatment group of 68 cases treated by NGF injection at the points of Yifeng (TE 17) and Wangu (GB 12), and a control group of 72 cases orally taking Xibiling (西比灵) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and intramuscular injection with VB1 and VB12. Results: The total effective rate was 78.6% in the treatment group and 31.8% in the control group, with significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05). Conclusion: For treating nervous deafness and tinnitus, NGF point-injection may show good therapeutic effects, but inversely proportional to the illness course, age and the extent of hypoacusis.

An efficient strategy for establishing a model of sensorineural deafness in rats

Ototoxic drugs can be used to produce a loss of cochlear hair cells to create animal models of deafness. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no report on the establishment of a rat deafness model through the combined application of aminoglycosides and loop diuretics. The aim of this study was to use single or combined administration of furosemide and kanamycin sulfate to establish rat models of deafness. The rats received intravenous injections of different doses of furosemide and/or intramuscular injections of kanamycin sulfate. The auditory brainstem response was measured to determine the hearing threshold after drug application. Immunocytochemistry and confocal microscopy were performed to evaluate inner ear morphology. In the group receiving combined administration of furosemide and kanamycin, the auditory brainstem response threshold showed significant elevation 3 days after administration, higher than that produced by furosemide or kanamycin alone. The hair cells showed varying degrees of injury, from the apical turn to the basal turn of the cochlea and from the outer hair cells to the inner hair cells. The spiral ganglion cells maintained a normal morphology during the first week after the hair cells completely disappeared, and then gradually degenerated. After 2 months, the majority of spiral ganglion cells disappeared, but a few remained. These findings demonstrate that the combined administration of furosemide and kanamycin has a synergistic ototoxic effect, and that these drugs can produce hair cell loss and hearing loss in rats. These findings suggest that even in patients with severe deafness, electronic cochlear implants may partially restore hearing.

Clinical observation on the different frequency hearing damages in sudden deafness treated by electroacupuncture combined with western medicine comprehensive therapy

Objective To compare the difference in the clinical efficacy on the different frequency hearing damages for the patients with sudden deafness between the comprehensive therapy of electroacupuncture and western medicine and the simple western medicine comprehensive therapy. Methods Fifty-eight cases were randomized into an acupuncture plus medication group （28 cases, 32 damaged ears） and a western medicine group （30 cases, 34 damaged ears）. In the acupuncture plus medication group, the comprehensive therapy of electroacupuncture and western medicine was used. The main points were ěrmén （耳门 TE 21）, Tīnggōng （听宫 SI 19）, Tīnghuì （听会 GB 2）, Yìfēng （翳风 TE 17）, etc. The western medicine therapy was the comprehensive treatment with vasodilators, the medicines for promoting nerve function and releasing inner ear edema and hyperbaric oxygen. In the western medicine group, the western medicine comprehensive therapy was adopted. 10-day treatment made one session. Two sessions of treatment were required. In 1 or 2 sessions of treatment, the efficacy was observed, the electric audiometry was evaluated. Additionally, the blood routine and liver and kidney functions were detected. Results The total effective rate was 50.0% （16/32） in the acupuncture ＋ medication group and was 55.9% （19/34） in the western medicine group. The efficacies were similar between the two groups （P〉0.05）. In 1 and 2 sessions of treatment, at 250 Hz, 500 Hz and 1 kHz, the electric audiometry values in either group were recovered significantly as compared with those before treatment （all P〈0.01）. At 2 kHz, in 1 and 2 sessions of treatment, the improvements of the electric audiometry values were significant as compared with those before treatment in the acupuncture plus medication group separately （P〈0.05, P〈0.01）. At 4 kHz, the differences were not significant statistically before and after treatment in either group （all P〉0.05）. There were no abnormalities in the blood routine and liver and kidney function detections before and after treatment in either group. Conclusion Either the comprehensive therapy of electroacupuncture and western medicine or the simple western medicine comprehensive therapy is effective in the treatment of low frequency hearing damage of sudden deafness. Either of them has no effect on high frequency hearing damage. But for the middle frequency hearing damage, the efficacy of the comprehensive therapy of electroacupuncture and western medicine is superior to that of the simple western medicine comprehensive therapy.