Intratympanic gentamicin: a 1-day protocol treatment for unilateral Meniere's disease.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to assess the usefulness of low-dose intratympanic gentamicin administration in patients with Meniere's disease (MD).


METHODS
We carried out a retrospective review of the charts of 55 patients with definite MD in accordance with the AAO-HNS (American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery) Diagnostic Scale who were treated at Gruppo Otologico (Piacenza, Rome, Italy). The treatment protocol consisted of 3 intratympanic injections of gentamicin at a 12-hour interval between each administration.


RESULTS
Results were resumed in accordance with AAO-HNS criteria and showed complete control of vertigo spells in 60% (class A), good control in 16% (class B), moderate control in 4% (class C), poor control in 16% (class D), and no control in 4% (class E) of the patients. Audiological assessment showed unchanged thresholds in 61%, improvement in 22%, and worsening in 17% of the cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Administration of gentamicin is a good alternative to medical and surgical procedures in the treatment of intractable MD. One-day treatment allows for adequate control of vertigo attacks without compromising hearing and quality of life and with reduced costs.
De Stefano
Alessandro
A
Clinica ORL, Università G. d'Annunzio, Chieti-Pescara, Italy.
Dispenza
Francesco
F
De Donato
Giuseppe
G
Caruso
Antonio
A
Taibah
Abdelkader
A
Sanna
Mario
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001299:Audiometry; D005260:Female; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014432:Tympanic Membrane