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Low‐Dose Intratympanic Gentamicin and the Treatment of Meniere's Disease: Preliminary Results
Author(s) -
Driscoll Colin L. W.,
Kasperbauer Jan L.,
Facer George W.,
Harner Stephen G.,
Beatty Charles W.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1097/00005537-199701000-00017
Subject(s) - medicine , vertigo , meniere's disease , gentamicin , surgery , aminoglycoside , hearing loss , anesthesia , audiology , antibiotics , microbiology and biotechnology , biology
The most disabling symptom for most patients with unilateral Meniere's disease is vertigo. Eradication of the diseased end organ is effective in eliminating the vertigo. Labyrinthectomy remains the “gold standard”; unfortunately, residual hearing is sacrificed to obtain this end. The purpose of this study is to evaluate low‐dose intratympanic gentamicin for the control of vertigo and for the preservation of hearing. A single dose of gentamicin(10‐80 mg) was injected into the middle ear space of 23 patients with unilateral Meniere's disease as an office procedure. Eighty‐four percent of the patients had no episodes of vertigo during the last 6 months of follow‐up. Pure tone average and word discrimination scores were unchanged as a group. Ninety‐five percent of patients had a hearing loss at 6 and 8 kHz that averaged 7.5 dB. Caloric function was reduced in 93%. Low‐dose intratympanic gentamicin is a safe, simple, office procedure that is effective in controlling the definitive vertiginous episodes in most patients with unilateral Meniere's disease. Control of vertigo can be obtained with preservation of hearing.