IMMUNOLOGICAL PATHOGENESIS OF ENDOLYMPHATIC HYDROPS AND ITS RELATION TO MENIERES-DISEASE

This study was designed to investigate an immunologically induced endo lymphatic hydrops (ELH) and to focus on the issue of its pathogenesis in relation to Meniere's disease. The time course of ELH was evaluated by light microscopy in a 2-hour to 7-month period following direct an tigen challenge to the endolymphatic sac (ELS) in systemically pre-sen sitized guinea pigs. ELH began to appear in the vestibule and the basa l turn 5-7 hours after inner ear challenge and developed gradually. Du ring the interval from the second day to the first week, ELH rapidly d eveloped in all the cochlear turns and reached a maximum size. During the period from the second week to the eighth week, ELH gradually redu ced. After 9 weeks, ELH of the saccule and the cochlea gradually recur red. During the interval from the first week to the eighth week, the t ime course of ELH correlated well with the grade of cellular infiltrat ion of the perisaccular tissue. These results suggest that recurrent i mmunological reaction in the ELS may result in disorders of the ELS wh ich finally lead to the onset of Meniere's disease.