Intratympanic lidocaine instillation for Menière's disease
Verdonck, J.; Desloovere, C.
B-Ent 7(3): 157-164
2011
ISSN/ISBN: 1781-782X PMID: 22026134 Document Number: 648279
We studied the role of intratympanic lidocaine instillation as part of the treatment for vertigo in Menière's disease. We retrospectively analyzed 40 patients who underwent 74 labyrinth anaesthesias in our center between 1996 and 2006. We studied the attack-free period after instillation, the effect of repetitive procedures and the efficacy according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) (1995) criteria. Labyrinth anaesthesia was effective in 70% of the studied procedures. If effective, the mean duration of the attack-free period was 12.6 months. Repetition was effective in 80.7% of the procedures if the previous procedure was effective as well. Two years after treatment 21 patients had AAO-HNS functional levels of 1 or 2 and 23 patients were class A or B. Labyrinth anaesthesia is an effective treatment for Menière's disease and a useful tool for the control of symptoms. Repetitive instillation is effective especially when the previous instillation was also effective.