[Middle ear overpressure treatment in severe Menière's disease].

To evaluate the therapeutic effect of middle ear pressure pulse on endolymphatic hydrops in humans, Meniett20k was used for 12 months in two severe elderly patients with definite Meniere's disease. The average number of vertigo occurrences in the 6 months before treatment and in the 12 months after treatment started was compared. Numeric values (NV) among patients were calculated and categorized into an improved group (NV = 1-40). For hearing function, the pure-tone average (PTA) before and 12 months after treatment started was compared. PTA was calculated based on the following equation: PTA = (A + 2XB + C)/4. A, B, and C were thresholds of the pure-tone audiometory at 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 kHz. In one case, hearing function was unchanged, but deteriorated in the other. Pressure pulse treatment may thus be useful in severe cases of Meniere's, especially in the elderly, bilateral cases, and in endolymphatic hydrops in a single hearing ear.