Induction of experimental endolymphatic hydrops by immunologic techniques

Immunologic techniques have been used by many investigators to produce experimental endolymphatic hydrops models. These techniques, however, have achieved little success in producing models simulating the idiopathic endolymphatic hydrops of Meniere's disease, in which no inflammatory changes occur in the perilymphatic spaces. In this study, the antigen horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was injected into the endolymphatic sacs of ninety guinea pigs that had been systematically sensitized to this antigen. Endolymphatic hydrops was induced in sixty-seven of the subjects, sixty-four of which showed no inflammatory changes in the perilymphatic spaces. The endolymphatic sacs of the affected guinea pigs were packed with soft granulation tissue induced by immunologic mechanisms; it is felt that the hydrops was caused by disturbances in endolymph absorption resulting from these tissue formations. Our results suggest that the introduction of antigens into the endolymphatic sac may prove useful in producing endolymphatic hydrops with characteristics similar to those occurring in Meniere's disease.