Transtympanic gentamicin treatment in Meniere's disease: a preliminary report.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of transtympanic gentamicin treatment in Meniere's disease.

MATERIAL AND METHOD: The present study is a prospective study of 8 patients in Ramathibodi Hospital who had transtympanic gentamicin treatment of Meniere's disease by fixed dose regimen of 12 injections during a period of 4 days. The committee on hearing and equilibrium guidelines for reporting treatment results in Meniere's disease of the American Academy of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery (1995) were used. Paired t-test or Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test was used for statistical comparisons.

RESULTS: Among 8 patients, there were 2 males and 6 females. All patients (100%) had either complete (37.5%) or substantial (62.5%) control of vertigo. Disability was also improved in all of the subjects (100%). Tinnitus was improved in 62.5%. Their tinnitus score and functional level scale were much improved with statistical significance (p = 0.001, p < 0.005, respectively). Hearing was unchanged in 87.5% and slightly worse in 12.5%. This was not significant.

CONCLUSION: Transtympanic gentamicin treatment was found to be an effective treatment option for patients with disabling or intractable Meniere's disease, with a low incidence of hearing loss. The use of this method appears to be practical and may replace the vestibular surgery.