Transtympanic gentamicin perfusion for the treatment of Meniere's disease.

Meniere's syndrome is defined as the clinical disorder associated with the histopathological finding of endolymphatic hydrops (ELH). Clinically, Meniere's syndrome includes the following features: recurrent, spontaneous episodic vertigo; hearing loss; aural fullness; and tinnitus. Recognized causes of Meniere's syndrome include: 1) idiopathic, also known as Meniere's disease; 2) posttraumatic, following head injury or ear surgery; 3) post-infectious or delayed-onset Meniere's syndrome following a viral infection, usually mumps or measles; 4) late stage syphilitic; 5) classic Cogan's syndrome with episodic vertigo, hearing loss, interstitial keratitis, without syphilis; 6) variant Cogan's syndrome with episodic vertigo, hearing loss, uveitis or other ocular inflammation and without syphilis. Although Meniere's disease is by far the most common cause of Meniere's syndrome and the terms are often used interchangeably, it should be remembered that a patient has an idiopathic etiology only when the known causes have been excluded.