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

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the effect of intraty mpanically applied gentamicin (GM) (30 mg/mL) on hearing and tinnitus in pa tients 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 f requencies was measured before the treatment and after 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after injections. Tinnitus was survey ed with a questionnaire. The mean duration of Meniere's disease was 9.8 yea rs (range, 1-33 years). Patients: The study group consisted of 28 men and 65 women. The mean age wa s 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. T he mean tinnitus handicap score before treatment was 2.92; 2 years after tr eatment, it was 2.26, indicating significant abatement of tinnitus Juring t he 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 maj ority of the patients.