P. Kuppers et al., LONG-TERM RESULTS OF CONTINUOUS INTRATYMP ANIC GENTAMICIN INFUSIONS IN PATIENTS WITH MENIERES-DISEASE, HNO. Hals-, Nasen-, Ohrenarzte, 42(7), 1994, pp. 429-433
During the last three years at the ENT Department of the University of
Lubeck, patients with Meniere's disease have been fitted with an enda
ural catheter. A portable infusion pump with a fluid reservoir then su
pplied the ear being treated with a continuous gentamicin solution. On
average, 3 ml of a 0.3% solution was given each day of treatment. In
comparison with discontinuous application, this technique proved to be
advantageous and therapy was easier to direct. None of the 42 patient
s undergoing this treatment experienced total hearing loss, as opposed
to 3 cases of total deafness under discontinuous treatment. Overall,
hearing thresholds remained stable in 23 patients. Thirteen patients s
uffered hearing losses of up to 20 dB, 4 patients had losses of up to
40 dB, and 2 patients had losses up to 60 dB. In these patients high f
requencies were mainly affected. Medical checkups were possible in 24
patients for a period of over 2 years. All of these patients experienc
ed marked decreases in the frequency and intensity of vertigo. Additio
nally, 14 patients no longer suffered from vertigo, while 8 showed sym
ptoms of incomplete compensation. Two patients still had attacks of ve
rtigo after gentamycin treatment, but these attacks were distinctly le
ss frequent than before. The average dose of gentamicin was 95 mg. In
comparison with the control group under discontinuous therapy (325 mg)
, this dose was clearly smaller.