Long-term results after interval therapy with intratympanic gentamicin for Menière's disease.

The new single-shot and interval treatment for Menière's disease with gentamicin was designed to avoid cochlear damage during treatment with gentamicin. To date, 90 patients were treated with the single-shot or interval gentamicin therapy. Fifty-seven cases of Menière's disease were followed up prospectively between 2 and 4 years. During one treatment series, a maximum of three intratympanic gentamicin injections within 15 days were applied, each consisting of 0.3 mL (12 mg) of gentamicin (days 1, 8, and 15). Thirty of these 57 patients (53%) needed only one injection to be controlled (single-shot treatment). Vertigo attacks were completely controlled in 95% and partially controlled in 5%, whereas hearing remained unchanged or even improved. Tinnitus as well as aural fullness were controlled in approximately 50% of the cases. Our results with this group of patients after interval-treatment or single-shot application of intratympanic gentamicin demonstrate the effectiveness of this treatment modality with very low side effects, and, although our experience is still limited, it allows for expanding the indication on early cases of Menière's disease before permanent hearing loss occurs. Even cases of bilateral Menière's disease can be treated successfully using this method. Cochleotoxic side effects can be prevented by treatment intervals of 7 days.