Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T17:40:45.068Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Transtympanic dexamethasone application in Ménière's disease: an alternative treatment for intractable vertigo

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

Levent Sennaroğlu*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Farzin Mottaghian Dini
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Gonca Sennaroğlu
Affiliation:
Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology Section, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Bulent Gursel
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Soner Ozkan
Affiliation:
Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology Section, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
*
Address for correspondence: Levent Sennaroğlu, M.D., Büklüm Sokak 45/16, Kavaklidere, Ankara 06660, Turkey. Fax: 90-312-3113500

Abstract

The aetiology of Ménière's disease still remains unknown and its therapy is therefore empirical. As a result of immunological abnormalities demonstrated, steroids are commonly used in Ménière's disease. The place of topical steroids is still controversial. In this investigation topical dexamethasone is applied for three months through a ventilation tube in patients with intractable vertigo. The results showed that this treatment controls vertigo in 72 per cent of cases. No patient was worse than before treatment. Only in 17 per cent of the patients was there an increase in hearing level. When compared to the reports which used only tympanostomy tubes, this procedure seems to have a placebo effect with minimal harmful effects. It appears that transtympanic dexamethasone application is a good alternative to vestibular nerve section. Topical treatment may be sufficient in most patients. Systemic treatment may be used in patients where topical treatment fails.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Brookes, G. B. (1986) Circulating immune complexes in Ménière's disease. Archives of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery 112 536540.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Danckwardt-Lilliestrom, N., Friberg, U., Kinnetors, A. (1997) Endolymphatic sacitis in a case of active Ménière's disease. A TEM histopathological investigation. Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology 106(3) 190198.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gutierrez, F., Moreno, P. M., Sainz, M. (1994) Relationship between immune complex and total hemolytic complement in endolymphatic hydrops. Laryngoscope 104 14951498.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Itoh, A., Sakata, E. (1991) Treatment of vestibular disorders. Acta Otolaryngologica (Stockh) 481 617623.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kimura, R. S., Hutta, J. (1997) Inhibition of experimentally induced endolymphatic hydrops by middle ear ventilation. European Archives of Otorhinolaryngology 254 213218.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lohuis, P. J., ten Cate, W. J., Patterson, K. E. (1990) Modulation of rat stria vascularis in the absence of circulating adrenocorticosteroids. Acta Otolaryngologica (Stockh) 110 348356.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Montandon, P., Guillemin, P., Hausler, R. (1988) Prevention of vertigo in Ménière's syndrome by means of transtympanic ventilation tubes. ORL 50 377381.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Nadel, D. M. (1996) The use of systemic steroids in otolaryngology. Ear, Nose and Throat Journal 75 502516.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pearson, B., Brackmann, D. E. (1985) Committee on hearing and equilibrium guidelines for reporting treatment results in Ménière's disease. Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery 96 8395.Google Scholar
Rarey, K. E., Lohuis, P. J. F. M., ten Cate, W. J. F. (1991) Response of stria vascularis to corticosteroids. Laryngoscope 101 10811084.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shea, J. J. (1993) Classification of Ménière's disease. American Journal of Otology 4 224229.Google Scholar
Shea, J. J., Ge, X. (1996) Dexamethasone perfusion of the labyrinth plus intravenous dexamethasone for Ménière's disease. Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America 29 353358.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Silverstein, H., Choo, D., Rosenberg, S., Kuhn, J. (1996) Intratympanic steroid treatment of inner ear disease and tinnitus (Preliminary report). Ear, Nose and Throat Journal 75 468488.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Suzuki, M., Kitahara, M. (1992) Immunologic abnormality in Ménière's disease. Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery 107 5762.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tumarkin, A. (1966) Thoughts on the treatment of labyrinthopathy. Journal of Laryngology and Otology 80 10411053.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yamanobe, S., Harris, J. P. (1993) Inner ear specific antibodies. Laryngoscope 103 319325.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yoo, T. J. (1984) Etiopathogenesis of Ménière's disease. A hypothesis. Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology (Suppl 113) 93 612.CrossRefGoogle Scholar