[The research on electrical promontory stimulation in treating severe disabling tinnitus:12 case reports].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the the efficacy and feasibility of electrical promontory stimulation in treating severe disabling tinnitus. METHOD: Treated 12 cases of severe disabling tinnitus with EPS, and evaluated the alterations of tinnitus severity scale before and after the treatment. RESULT: The effect on tinnitus was assessed during and immediately after the stimulation by tinnitus severity scores. Immediately after EPS, 5 patients reported complete suppression,the duration of persistence time were 10 s-20 h, and 5 reported attenuation of tinnitus, the lasting time were 2-24 h. 2 patients said it was unchanged. After 3 days, the tinnitus severity scores remained unchanged in all these patients. CONCLUSION: In our opinion EPS could be a effective method for suppressing and alleviating tinnitus , but poor results in patients with longterm effects and compliance. It is not suggested that EPS could be a routine method of treatment for tinnitus.