MIDDLE-EAR PRESSURE AND DYSFUNCTION OF THE LABYRINTH - IS THERE A RELATIONSHIP

Relationships between middle ear pressure and non-infection-related co chleovestibular dysfunction have been suggested by several authors. Ac cording to some data, vertiginous attacks can be prevented by the inse rtion of a ventilation tube in patients suffering from Meniere's syndr ome. The aim of our study was to investigate if the incidence of eusta chian tube malfunction and pathologic middle car pressure is frequent, and if routine implantation of ventilation tubes is reasonable in ear s with dysfunctions of the labyrinth, including clinical Meniere's syn drome. So, we determined in our pressure chamber all active and passiv e parameters of eustachian tube function in 40 patients suffering from Meniere's syndrome, sudden sensory hearing impairment (SSHI), or vest ibular neuronitis. Our results disclosed no nonrandom incidence of imp aired tubal function among our patients compared to healthy control su bjects. Pressure equalization was sufficient in most patients sufferin g from clinical Meniere's syndrome, and only one patient with vestibul ar neuronitis presented with a patulous tube. Our results show that im pairment of vestibular or cochlear function is nor regularly accompani ed by eustachian tube dysfunction. Furthermore, no patient reported sy mptoms while pressure variation was performed. We conclude that variat ion of middle ear pressure does not usually play a role in the genesis of Meniere's syndrome, vestibular neuronitis, or SSHI. Thus, from our data, we cannot recommend routine implantation of tympanic ventilatio n tubes in patients suffering from Meniere's syndrome, vestibular neur onitis, or sudden hearing loss.