[Intratympanic treatment in Meniere's disease: the effect of gentamicin and dexamethasone on vertigo control and hearing].

OBJECTIVES

We investigated the effect of intratympanic gentamicin and dexamethasone treatments on the control of vertigo and hearing loss in patients with Meniere's disease.

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

Forty-five patients with a diagnosis of Meniere's disease according to the 1995 criteria of American Academy of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery were assigned to receive intratympanic gentamicin (40 mg/ml, 0.7 ml; n=24; 11 males, 13 females; mean age 46 years) or dexamethasone (4 mg/ml, 0.7 ml; n=21; 8 males, 13 females; mean age 50.4 years). The results were evaluated with respect to changes in vertigo and hearing symptoms.

RESULTS

In the gentamicin group, vertigo symptoms were controlled in 22 patients (92%), deterioration in hearing was seen in only two patients (8%). In the dexamethasone group, nine patients had complete follow-up. Of these, vertigo control was achieved in six patients (67%), none had worsened hearing, and one patient (5%) had improved hearing. When improvement in hearing was defined as at least a 5 dB change, then five patients (24%) benefited from treatment.

CONCLUSION

Intratympanic treatment modalities in Meniere's disease are easy to perform, cheap, and effective. They are expected to have a more extensive use with higher success rates in the future.