Long-term effect of transtympanic intermittent pressure therapy using a tympanic membrane massage device for intractable meniere’s disease and delayed endolymphatic hydrops

Abstract

Background

A 12-month follow-up study showed that middle ear pressure treatment with a transtympanic membrane massage (TMM) device had a similar effect to a Meniett device.

Objectives

The effects of pressure treatment with a TMM device were retrospectively compared to the effects of treatment with a Meniett device in patients with Meniere’s disease (MD) and delayed endolymphatic hydrops (DEH) who were followed for a minimum of 24 months.

Materials and Methods

Twenty-seven patients were treated with the TMM device and 14 patients were treated with a Meniett device. The insertion of a transtympanic ventilation tube was necessary for the Meniett device but not for the TMM device.

Results

In patients treated with the TMM and Meniett devices, the frequency of vertigo significantly improved at 19–24 months after treatment. The distribution of vertigo at 19–24 months after treatment did not differ between the patients treated with the two types of devices. Pressure treatment for 8 months or more was suitable to achieve remission.

Conclusions and Significance

Middle ear pressure treatment for 8 months or more with a TMM or Meniett device was equally effective and provided minimally invasive treatment options for intractable MD and DEH.

Chinese abstract

背景：一项为期 12 个月的随访研究表明, 使用经鼓膜按摩 (TMM) 装置进行中耳压力治疗的效果与 Meniett 装置相似。

目的：回顾性比较对于治疗梅尼埃病 (MD) 和延迟内淋巴管水肿(DEH)患者, 使用 TMM 装置进行压力治疗的效果与使用 Meniet 装置的效果。这些患者至少 有24 个月的随访。

材料和方法：二十七患者接受了 TMM 装置治疗, 14 名患者接受了 Meniett 装置治疗。使用 Meniet 装置, 必须插入经鼓室通气管, 而使用TMM 设备, 就不必。

结果：在接受 TMM 和 Meniett 装置治疗的患者中, 眩晕频率在治疗后 19-24 个月显著改善。两种设备治疗19-24个月后, 患者眩晕的分布在两者之间没有差异。压力治疗8个月或以上达到缓解。

结论和意义：使用 TMM 或 Meniett 装置进行 8 个月或更长时间的中耳压力治疗同样有效, 并为顽固性 MD 和 DEH 提供微创治疗选择。

Keywords:

• Meniere’s disease
• delayed endolymphatic hydrops
• intractable vertigo
• tympanic membrane massage device
• Meniett device

Acknowledgement

The authors express our sincere appreciation to all members of the Department of Otolaryngology, University of Toyama for their assistance and cooperation.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest in association with the present study. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan [KAKENHI grant number 20FC1048].