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Delayed Effect and Gain Restoration After Intratympanic Gentamicin for Menière's Disease
Eduardo Martin-Sanz1,2, Joaquin Yanes Diaz1,2, Jonathan Esteban-Sanchez1,2
1Department of Otolaryngology, University Hospital of Getafe.
Objective:
This study aimed to evaluate the changes in the VOR gain after intratympanic gentamicin therapy and to correlate them with the mid-term effects on the control of vertigo, in a population of Menière's disease patients.
Study Design:
The study design was a prospective "Outcomes research."
Setting:
Tertiary referral center.
Patients:
This study included 20 patients with unilateral Menière's disease refractory to medical therapy for at least 1 year, and treated with an on demand intratympanic gentamicin protocol.
Intervention:
Therapeutic.
Main Outcome Measure:
Audiometry, caloric testing, and a vHIT before beginning the protocol were performed. Patients underwent weekly vHIT assessments until a significant gain reduction was observed. Subsequently we performed vHIT tests 1 month after the therapy completion, and then every 3 months for at least 1 year.
Results:
Complete vertigo control (class A) was achieved in 14 patients at the 12-month follow-up assessment. We observed a significant reduction in VOR gain values at the 3-week follow-up assessment. We found a significant correlation between the 1-month posttreatment ipsilateral hVOR gain and the rate of vertigo recurrence after the first IT gentamicin treatment (p = 0.012; r = 0.400). At the mid-term assessment, 10 patients exhibited a significant partial recovery of the hVOR gain.
Conclusions:
The delayed effect of intratympanic gentamicin and the subsequent gain restoration are factors that may influence the patients' outcome. The feasibility of the vHIT system makes it a useful tool to monitorize the VOR changes.
