Intratympanic gentamicin therapy for vertigo in nonserviceable ears.
OBJECTIVE
Intratympanic ototoxic agents have become a widely accepted means of managing vertigo in patients with Meniere's disease while preserving residual hearing. We investigated expanding the indications for intratympanic gentamicin to include control of vertigo in patients without serviceable hearing in the involved ear caused by a variety of end-organ pathologies.


METHODS
We present a retrospective series of 6 patients suffering from vertigo caused by end-organ disease, in an ear without serviceable hearing. Two patients suffered from delayed endolymphatic hydrops, 3 from Meniere's disease, and 1 from poststapedectomy vertigo. These patients chose unilateral vestibular ablation with serial intratympanic gentamicin injection rather than labyrinthectomy for a variety of reasons. Conventional electronystagmography (ENG) testing and audiometry were completed on all patients. The ENG testing included bithermal calorics and rotational testing. All patients had a magnetic resonance image with gadolinium to exclude retrocochlear or central pathology. Rotational testing was repeated before each injection and at the conclusion of therapy to assess changes in the peripheral vestibular response. The patients' subjective response to therapy was followed.


RESULTS
Follow-up has been 10 to 69 months with successful control of vertigo in all patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Intratympanic gentamicin therapy offers a minimally invasive, ambulatory, low morbidity, cost-effective means of managing vertigo in patients with nonserviceable hearing.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
P W
PW
Bauer
C B
CB
MacDonald
L C
LC
Cox
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003638:Deafness / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004584:Electronystagmography; D005260:Female; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012027:Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D014717:Vertigo / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014725:Vestibular Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D005839:Gentamicins