Continuous gentamicin therapy using an IntraEAR microcatheter for Meniere's disease: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVES

The study goals were to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of continuous gentamicin therapy (CGT) in the treatment of Meniere's disease and to evaluate the effect of flow rate.

STUDY

DESIGN

In a retrospective study, physicians who were known to have used CGT in the treatment of Meniere's disease were asked to report patient information on a standardized data collection form.

RESULTS

In patients treated with low-flow CGT, vertigo was eliminated or substantially controlled in 90%, tinnitus was improved in 69%, pressure was improved in 77%, hearing was worse in 23%, and vestibular function was ablated in only 14% of patients.

CONCLUSION

On the basis of an average 10-month follow-up period, of the methods currently available to treat Meniere's patients with gentamicin, low-flow CGT seems to provide an excellent combination of vertigo control and tinnitus and pressure improvement, with a relatively low risk to hearing and vestibular function.

SIGNIFICANCE: The clinical use of low-flow CGT appears to be justified based on these data.