Longitudinal Non-Invasive Perilymphatic Pressure Measurement in Patients with Ménière’s Disease

Abstract

The homeostasis of inner-ear fluids is essential for the functions of hearing and equilibrium. Inner-ear disorders, such as Ménière’s disease, are affected by inner-ear pressure. The displacement of the human tympanic membrane can be studied by means of the MMS-10 Tympanic Displacement Analyser (Marchbanks Measurement Systems Ltd., UK) and is thought to be a measure for perilymphatic pressure variations. This measurement was performed in 18 patients with Ménière’s disease (20 affected ears) at regular intervals, in order to investigate possible pressure variations in relation to the following symptoms: hearing loss, vertigo, tinnitus and pressure sensation. Symptoms changed independently; changes in symptoms were not significantly related to changes in perilymphatic pressure, as measured by means of the MMS-10 analyser.

Relationship of Vestibular Aqueduct and Inner Ear Pressure in Ménière's Disease and the Normal Population

“…In our investigation, the incidence of low static compliance was 30% among normal individuals and 60% in patients with Ménière's disease. Using the TMD method to measure the perilymphatic pressure in humans, Rosingh et al, 23 Ernst et al 24 and Gosepath et al 25 could not demonstrate any difference between normal individuals and patients with Ménière's disease. Therefore, high PP measurements in Ménière's disease have not gained universal acceptance.…”

Perilymphatic pressure measurement in patients with Menière’s disease

“…Results of perilymphatic pressure measurements in a limited number of Menière patients were reported earlier [17]. In this study the perilymphatic pressure was measured in 70 patients with Menière's disease and compared with the perilymphatic pressure in 50 young subjects with normal hearing.…”

Non-invasive measurements of intralabyrinthine pressure changes by electrocochleography and otoacoustic emissions

“…Measurements of tympanic membrane displacement in response to stapedius muscle contractions triggered by noise in the contralateral ear have been suggested, because the sign of this displacement depends on whether ILP exceeds some limit (Marchbanks, 1982;Marchbanks and Reid, 1990). However, measurements with this technique are complex and lengthy and their sensitivity has been questioned (Rosingh et al, 1996;Bouccara et al, 1998). OAEs have been reported to exhibit a large sensitivity to intracranial pressure changes (Büki et al, 1996) and to be particularly specific as far as their phase is concerned .…”