title: Local pressure protocol, including Meniett, in the treatment of Ménière's disease: short-term results during the active stage.
abstract: Treatment of Ménière's disease (MD) is still controversial and pressure changes transmitted to the inner ear have been reported to have effects similar to those of other non-surgical therapies. This paper reports on a clinical trial of MD patients which has been carried out using a portable piece of equipment, called Meniett, which delivers a pulsed, controlled, positive pressure to the middle ear, provided that a ventilation tube (VT) has previously been inserted. A comparison was made of the number of vertigo spells during the 2 months before treatment and during the 40-day treatment period. In addition, within this latter period a comparison was made between use of VT and use of VT + Meniett. Use of VT only had a positive effect in 90% of patients, with either absence (n = 10: 50%) or marked reduction (n = 8; 40%) in episodes of vertigo. When Meniett was also applied, stabilization of the positive effect on vertigo was registered, with a concomitant improvement in hearing threshold in 2 patients (10%). Although a longer and more reliable long-term follow-up of this treatment is needed, it is possible to propose the use of this therapeutic approach as it has been proven to induce a dramatic improvement in the symptoms affecting patients with Ménière's disease during reactivation of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Rome La Sapienza I & II, Rome, Italy. maurizio.barbara@uniromal.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barbara
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Consagra
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Monini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nostro
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Harguindey
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vestri
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Filipo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D001300:Audiometry, Evoked Response / Q000379:methods; D001309:Auditory Threshold / Q000502:physiology; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008876:Middle Ear Ventilation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D011312:Pressure; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D014717:Vertigo / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy