[Intratympanic treatment in Meniere's disease: the effect of gentamicin and dexamethasone on vertigo control and hearing].
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the effect of intratympanic gentamicin and dexamethasone treatments on the control of vertigo and hearing loss in patients with Meniere's disease.


METHODS
Forty-five patients with a diagnosis of Meniere's disease according to the 1995 criteria of American Academy of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery were assigned to receive intratympanic gentamicin (40 mg/ml, 0.7 ml; n=24; 11 males, 13 females; mean age 46 years) or dexamethasone (4 mg/ml, 0.7 ml; n=21; 8 males, 13 females; mean age 50.4 years). The results were evaluated with respect to changes in vertigo and hearing symptoms.


RESULTS
In the gentamicin group, vertigo symptoms were controlled in 22 patients (92%), deterioration in hearing was seen in only two patients (8%). In the dexamethasone group, nine patients had complete follow-up. Of these, vertigo control was achieved in six patients (67%), none had worsened hearing, and one patient (5%) had improved hearing. When improvement in hearing was defined as at least a 5 dB change, then five patients (24%) benefited from treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
Intratympanic treatment modalities in Meniere's disease are easy to perform, cheap, and effective. They are expected to have a more extensive use with higher success rates in the future.
Akkuzu
Babür
B
Department of Otolaryngology, Medicine Faculty of Başkent University, Ankara, Turkey.
Ozgirgin
Nuri
N
Ozlüoğlu
Levent N
LN
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D015552:Injections, Intralesional; D008297:Male; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014432:Tympanic Membrane; D014717:Vertigo / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D005839:Gentamicins; D003907:Dexamethasone