Current status of pressure chamber treatment.

Forty-five patients with unilateral and one patient with bilateral Meniere's disease were exposed to underpressure in a pressure chamber during an acute attack that was primary in 24 and recurrent in 23. The patients were instructed to avoid active equilibration during reduction of the pressure, in order to induce an overpressure in the middle ear. Treatment was promptly followed by improvement of hearing in 20 patients (21 ears) and by a remission for more than three years in seven cases. No side effects were observed. We therefore believe that this procedure may be useful in the prevention of damage to the cochlear hair cells with secondary permanent loss of hearing.