Abstract
Meniere's disease (MD) is a clinical syndrome characterized by spontaneous recurrent vertigo, usually accompanied by hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness. The cause of MD remains unclear and is generally considered to be associated with endolymphatic hydrops. Studies showed that patients with MD could have eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD). ETD can disrupt the pressure balance between the middle and inner ear and impair the inner ear's function. In recent years, several studies have attempted to identify MD by using wideband tympanometry (WBT). However, there are limited studies in this area. There is no consensus on how to use WBT to diagnose Meniere's disease. Therefore, we endeavored to conduct a narrative review in this aspect based on the latest research findings. Reduction in resonance frequency and absorbance are characteristic of MD and can identify Meniere's disease. The use of an increase in the integrated area of absorbance as an indicator for identifying MD is controversial. WBT seems to be ineffective as a diagnostic tool during the acute episodes of Meniere's disease. Patients with MD may benefit from WBT. WBT has excellent potential for future use in Meniere's disease. However, further large sample sizes, multicenter studies are needed.
Highlights
Meniere’s disease (MD) is a clinical syndrome characterized by episodes of recurrent spontaneous vertigo, usually accompanied by fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness [1]
Techniques such as vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMP), electrocochleography (ECoG), distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE), and caloric test have been used to assess the condition of MD [8, 9]
Absorbance Recently, Miehe et al found that patients with MD had significantly lower absorbance obtained by broadband tympanometry in the frequency range of 2,000–4,000 Hz compared to normal subjects [4]
Summary
Meniere’s disease (MD) is a clinical syndrome characterized by episodes of recurrent spontaneous vertigo, usually accompanied by fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus, and aural fullness [1]. According to a prospective, randomized study, patients with MD who underwent endolymphatic sac shunts and patients who received VT inserted into the tympanic membrane had FIGURE 1 | Figure showing a three-dimensional broadband tympanometry image with simultaneous absorbance, frequency, and pressure data. Absorbance Recently, Miehe et al found that patients with MD had significantly lower absorbance obtained by broadband tympanometry in the frequency range of 2,000–4,000 Hz compared to normal subjects [4]. A cross-sectional study by Tanno et al found significant differences in absorbance in the low-frequency region between symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with MD compared to normal individuals [28]. According to this study, WBT seems to have no diagnostic value in acute episodes of MD
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