Relationship of the cochlear aqueduct and inner ear pressure in Ménière's disease and in a normal population.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the dimensions of cochlear aqueduct radiologically in patients with Ménière's disease and in normal subjects, and to correlate these findings with normal and low static acoustic compliance (SAC) (high and normal perilymphatic pressure) to see whether the dimensions of the cochlear aqueduct play any role in the perilymphatic pressure in normal individuals and patients with Ménière's disease.

STUDY

DESIGN

Prospective double-blind study.

SETTING

The study was conducted at Hacettepe University Medical Faculty, a tertiary care center.

PATIENTS: Forty patients with Ménière's disease with bilateral involvement, diagnosed by vertigo attacks, fluctuating hearing loss, tinnitus, fullness in the ear, and cochlear sensitivity constituted the patient group. Forty healthy individuals with no otolaryngologic symptoms constituted the control group.

INTERVENTIONS: All individuals underwent SAC measurement in terms of equivalent volume in milliliters, based on two volume measurements. To measure the dimensions of the cochlear aqueduct, high-resolution computed tomography of the temporal bone in the axial plane was performed.

RESULTS

There was no statistically significant difference in the width of the cochlear aqueduct between patients with Ménière's disease and normal subjects. When SAC measurements were also taken into account, there was no difference in cochlear aqueduct dimensions between individuals with normal and low SAC values in the two groups.

CONCLUSION

The dimensions of cochlear aqueduct are not significantly different in Méniére's disease patients and normal individuals. Also, the cochlear aqueduct does not appear to play a significant role in normal and low SAC values in the two groups of individuals.