title: A case against spiral ligament atrophy as a cause of Ménière's disease.
abstract: The etiology of Ménière's disease and endolymphatic hydrops has been very difficult to determine. In order to develop rational therapies for patients with Ménière's disease the etiology needs to be established. In the current study an examination was made of the spiral ligament in temporal bones from individuals with Ménière's and endolymphatic hydrops and normal control temporal bones. No evidence of atrophy in either the length or width or the fibrocyte cell density was seen in the temporal bones with Ménière's disease. The role of the spiral ligament in the development of endolymphatic hydrops is still unclear.
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of California and Research Service of the Department of Veterans Affairs, San Diego 92103-8895, USA. jpharris@ucsd.edu
authors.forename: Jeffrey P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Keithley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001284:Atrophy / Q000473:pathology; D002452:Cell Count; D003051:Cochlea / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006801:Humans; D008022:Ligaments / Q000473:pathology*; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000473:pathology*; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000473:pathology*