Intratympanic Gentamicin Treatment Research Articles

Results of Vestibular Autorotation Testing at the End of Intratympanic Gentamicin Treatment for Méniére's Disease

Objective--The vestibular autorotation test (VAT) examines the ocular response to voluntary horizontal and vertical head movements at frequencies for which the vestibular system is the main source for eye stabilization. The purpose of this study was to analyse the VAT results in patients with disabling Méniére's disease and to evaluate the change in VAT values once treatment with intratympanic gentamicin had terminated and clinical signs of vestibular hypofunction could be observed. Material and methods--The 30 study subjects were patients diagnosed with definitive unilateral Méniére's disease that could not be controlled with medication. The vestibulo-ocular reflexes of each patient were evaluated by means of the VAT before the first injection of gentamicin and after the last injection. Results--The pattern of abnormalities found in this population conformed to the selection criteria and the findings reflected a severe disabling process, with major modifications in the vestibulo-ocular reflex. At the end of treatment there was a reduction in the peak frequency of head oscillation. Furthermore, we commonly found that, in the horizontal VAT, gain and phase were reduced while in the vertical VAT some subjects registered a normal response. The phase in the horizontal and vertical VATs was most significantly reduced for oscillation frequencies of 2-3.7 Hz. Conclusion--This study provides further evidence that effective control of vertigo in patients with Méniére's disease can be achieved by administering intratympanic gentamicin.

Unpredictable Hearing Loss after Intratympanic Gentamicin Treatment for Vertigo. A New Theory

A new hypothesis is advanced suggesting that unpredictable cases of profound hearing loss after intratympanic gentamicin treatment (IGT) may be caused by decreased patency of the communication routes between the inner ear and the cerebrospinal fluid, primarily of the cochlear aqueduct. A tympanic displacement analyzer, which can indirectly analyze inner ear and intracranial pressure changes and can also evaluate the efficiency of communication between these two compartments, was used. Two cases are presented: in the first, a patient who became deaf after IGT showed signs of decreased patency of the communication routes with the tympanic membrane displacement (TMD) test; in the second, a patient without hearing damage after IGT had efficient communication evaluated by the TMD test. These preliminary findings are in accordance with the proposed pathophysiology. If future clinical studies confirm the present theory and findings, it may prove possible to predict and prevent deafness after IGT and possibly also after systemic aminoglycoside treatment.

Headache in Meniere’s disease

Objective: We examined headache in 86 patients with severe or moderately severe Meniere’s disease (MD) or with Meniere’s syndrome (MS) chosen for intratympanic gentamicin treatment. Forty-five patients with vestibular neuronitis (VN) served as a control group. Methods: In addition to a clinical examination, the patients filled out a questionnaire concerning their headache. Results: Altogether 60 MD patients (70%) and 26 VN patients (58%) reported headache. Headache was severe in 35 MD patients (58%), moderate in 16 patients (27%) and slight in nine MD patients (15%), and as a whole more severe than that of the VN patients ( P<0.01). The MD patients exhibited significantly more occipital ( P<0.005) and neck headache ( P<0.005) than the VN patients. Analgesics had been used by 82%, antidepressants by 35%, sumatriptan by 13% and carbamazepine and/or amitriptyline by 12% of the MD patients suffering from headache. Pain relief was reported as good by 27%, satisfactory by 60%, poor by 5% of the MD patients and 8% could not rate the pain relief. In this study migraine was diagnosed in 5 MD patients. Conclusion: It is concluded that MD is associated with headache that can be handicapping, and tricyclic antidepressants with pain alleviating medication is often needed to treat the headache in MD whereas sumatriptan did not alleviate the headache of the non-migraine patients.

Postural compensation after intratympanic gentamicin treatment of Meniere's disease

We have treated 93 patients with severe Meniere's disease with gentamicin (GM) applied with 1 to 4 or intratympanic injections in a prospective study. The patients were tested at frequent intervals and followed up for two years. Postural stability was evaluated on posturography. Unsteadiness and gait between attacks, working capacity and vertigo were scored. Before commencing the treatment 47 of the patients complained from moderate to severe postural instability. After treatment moderate to severe postural instability was met in 19 patients. Initially the sway velocity was 27 mm/s on average being significantly worse than in referents. Two weeks after treatment the sway velocity increased to 33 mm/s. Thereafter the sway velocity slowly started to decline to 31 mm/s after two years. Patients with severe attacks of rotatory vertigo had a good postural outcome with GM treatment. In logistic regression analysis the most significant risk factor for poor recovery after GM treatment was severely reduced gait before commencing the treatment with odds ratio of 2.0. Subjectively, after two years, the patients rated their postural stability significantly improved when compared to pretreatment values. The good subjective rating of postural stability is related to postural training program where in the absence of attacks, the patients have learned to cope with daily tasks.

Intratympanic gentamicin treatment for Meniere's disease.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a modified intratympanic gentamicin technique in patients with intractable unilateral or bilateral Meniere's disease. A retrospective review of 25 consecutive patients who underwent gentamicin treatment for Meniere's disease was conducted between 1992 and 1996. Two separate delivery systems were used during this study, with the last 13 subjects undergoing placement of the new system (flanged polyethylene tubing). Follow-up averaged 23 months. Absence of vertigo spells was reported in 88%, and substantial control was achieved in 12%. Four of five patients with bilateral disease achieved complete control. Results for the two delivery systems were not significantly different. Absence of ice-water caloric response was seen in 75% (15 of 20) patients. Clinically significant sensorineural hearing loss occurred in 5 (20%) of 25 ears. Nonserviceable hearing developed in only two (8%) patients. Our results support the previously reported efficacy and relative safety of gentamicin infusion therapy for intractable Meniere's disease. Polyethylene tubing may be more advantageous than T-tube delivery because of anatomic concerns in certain patients.

Intratympanic Gentamicin in Meniere's Disease

Ninety-three patients with intractable Meniere's disease were treated with gentamicin (Garamycin 40 mg/ml) administered in 1 to 4 transtympanic injections. The patients were tested at frequent intervals and followed up for 2 years. Before treatment all subjects experienced moderate or severe handicap caused by Meniere's disease. Two years after the treatment, rotatory vertigo was abolished in 81% of subjects, Tumarkin attacks were cured in 60%, and work capacity was severely reduced in 10% and moderately reduced in 17% of subjects. The outcome of the caloric responses did not correlate with the outcome of the treatment. In logistic regression analysis poor outcome of treatment correlated with Tumarkin attacks (odds ratio 5.5), severity of vertigo (odds ratio 3.8) and gait disorders (odds ratio 2.9). The mean hearing level was significantly affected by the treatment (before, 59.1 dB HL; after, 67.9 dB HL). Ten treated ears became deafened. During follow-up 44 subjects were subjected to retreatment, usually after 6 months. Intratympanic gentamicin treatment is a relatively safe and effective way to treat Meniere's disease. The authors recommended starting with 2 injections and renewing the injections if relapse occurs.

Intratympanic gentamicin treatment for Meniere's disease

Intratympanic gentamicin treatment for Meniere's disease

Low-dose intratympanic gentamicin treatment of Menière's disease.

To control attacks of vertigo while preserving both hearing and labyrinthine function, low doses of gentamicin were instilled intratympanically in nine patients with intractable unilateral Meniere's disease. Each patient received six instillations of antibiotic of 4 mg each (total dose, 24 mg). Patients were then followed for 2-4 years. Long-term results of treatment are reported according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 1985 criteria. Of the nine cases, three experienced complete control of vertiginous attacks, while six received substantial control. Post-treatment hearing acuity was unaffected, although disability following treatment became worse in one patient, a 66-year-old man. Caloric responses after therapy were absent or severely reduced in three ears, moderately reduced in two ears and unchanged in four ears. In three patients, labyrinthine function was found damaged 4-8 days after administration of the last dose of drug. Overall, intratympanic instillations of low doses of gentamicin in patients with intractable Meniere's disease were found to control vertiginous attacks with less damage to the inner ear function than that reported in the literature.

Intratympanic gentamicin in bilateral meniere's disease

Treatment of bilateral Menière's disease is a delicate task. Streptomycin has demonstrated its ability to successfully control the vertigo attacks, but in some cases it results in oscillopsia and transforms the periodic attacks to permanent instability. If the site of the active labyrinth can be determined, a more specific treatment can be tried. We have treated 14 patients with intractable bilateral Menière's disease with intratympanic gentamicin (Garamycin, 40 mg/ml) administered initially in either 1, 2, 3, or 4 injections. The patients were tested at frequent intervals and followed up for 2 years. The work capacity, severity of vertigo, and gait difficulties were scored before treatment and during each test occasion. The postural stability was evaluated on a force platform and sway velocity was analyzed. Before treatment, moderate or severe reduction of work capacity was experienced by all of the subjects, which correlated to severity of vertigo and gait problems. Two years after treatment, the vertigo attacks were eliminated in 11 subjects and controlled in three subjects. The work capacity of three subjects was still moderately or severely reduced. This reduction depended on gait disturbance and Tumarkin attacks. The average postural stability returned to pretreatment level 2 years after the treatment was begun. The outcome of the caloric responses did not correlate with the outcome of the treatment. Hearing was not significantly affected by the treatment. Intratympanic gentamicin treatment is a relatively safe and effective way to treat bilateral Meniere's disease when the symptoms can be localized to one ear.