Effect of intratympanic gentamicin on hearing and tinnitus in Meniere's disease

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the effect of intratympanically applied gentamicin (GM) (30 mg/mL) on hearing and tinnitus in patients with intractable Meniere's disease. Study Design: A prospective study was conducted on 93 subjects treated with intratympanically applied GM. The mean pure-tone average (PTA) at speech frequencies was measured before the treatment and after 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after injections. Tinnitus was surveyed with a questionnaire. The mean duration of Meniere's disease was 9.8 years (range, 1-33 years). Patients: The study group consisted of 28 men and 65 women. The mean age was 50.9 years (range, 19-74 years). Results: The mean PTA at speech frequencies for the group worsened from 60 dB to 68 dB, which was statistically significant. Ten ears were deafened. The mean tinnitus handicap score before treatment was 2.92; 2 years after treatment, it was 2.26, indicating significant abatement of tinnitus during the course of the treatment. Conclusions: The authors found that the average frequency of deafening was 10% and it was dose dependent. GM caused alleviation of tinnitus in the majority of the patients.