Symposium on endolymphatic hydrops: Meniere's syndrome and otitis media

Abstract

We here present a clinical study of 37 patients with Meniere's syndrome. Meniere's syndrome can occur subsequent to and in some cases simultaneously with chronic otitis media. When otitis media which has occurred many years earlier in childhood becomes inactive, leading to sequelae of Meniere's later in life, full-blown Meniere's symptom-complex with vertigo tends to occur; whereas when active chronic otitis media accompanies Meniere's, cochlear Meniere's syndrome tends to predominate. Endolymphatic hydrops is described in pathological cases of labyrinthitis and in 11 human temporal bone cases where there is evidence of chronic otitis media in the absence of visible labyrinthitis. A discussion of pathogenic factors includes considerations of quantity of endolymph due to hypodevelopment of the endolymphatic duct and sac related to mastoid hypocellularity and otomastoiditis in childhood and to other endolymphatic malabsorptions and also considerations of endolymph quality which can influence endolymph production as well as absorption.