Heat exchange in the cryosurgery of Menière's disease: Experimental and clinical studies

Abstract

The temperature course in the lateral semicircular canal and in the facial canal was studied in experiments during freezing of the semicircular canal. The course of the temperature was measured with thermocouples. Concurrently, the heat flow was measured, and also the total heat exchange was measured throughout the freezing period by a thermoelectric heat flowmeter incorporated in the cryotip. The measurements showed correlation between the total amount of heat exchanged, the freezing time, and the temperature in the semicircular canal. This correlation was utilized to assess and calculate (the temperature of the lateral semicircular canal) the course of the cryoprocess in vivo, where it is possible to measure the heat flow and the total heat exchange during the freezing period only. 2 Results upon Vertigo No Vertigo Improved Unchanged Number of patients 7 5 3 In 15 patients with unilateral, disabling Meniére's disease, it was possible to achieve controlled, well-defined temperature courses during cryosurgery of the lateral semicircular canal. Seven of the patients have been relieved of their vertigo, five were considerably improved, and no change was observed in three patients. Hearing was unchanged in most of the patients after cryosurgery.