Effects of transtympanic intermittent pressure therapy using a new tympanic membrane massage device for intractable Meniere’s disease and delayed endolymphatic hydrops: a prospective study

Abstract

Background

The retrospective study showed that the effect of the middle ear pressure treatment by the tramstympanic membrane massage (TMM) device was similar to that of the Meniett device.

Objectives

The new TMM device named EFET device was prospectively evaluated in patients with Meniere’s disease (MD) and delayed endolymphatic hydrops (DEH) and we compared the effects to the Meniett device.

Materials and methods

23 ears of 19 patients were treated with an EFET device, and 17 ears of 15 patients were treated with the Meniett device. All patients suffering from intractable MD and DEH were treated for 4 months. The insertion of a transtympanic ventilation tube was necessary for the Meniett device, but not the EFET device.

Results

In patients treated by the EFET and Meniett devices, the frequency of vertigo significantly improved after treatment. The distribution of vertigo outcomes at 4 months after treatment did not differ between patients treated with the both devices.

Conclusions and significance

Middle ear pressure treatment by the EFET device is effective and provides minimally invasive options for intractable MD and DEH like the Meniett device.

Chinese abstract

背景：回顾性研究表明, 由鼓膜按摩 (TMM) 装置治疗中耳压力的效果与 Meniett 装置的效果相似。

目的：对名为 EFET 装置的新型 TMM 装置在患有美尼尔氏病 (MD) 和延迟性内淋巴积水 (DEH)的患者中进行前瞻性评估, 我们将其效果与梅尼特装置进行比较。

材料和方法：19 名患者的 23 只耳朵接受了 EFET 设备治疗, 15 名患者的 17 只耳朵接受了 Meniet 装置治疗。所有患有顽固性 MD 和 DEH 的患者接受治疗4个月。用Meniet 装置治疗, 插入经鼓室通气管是必要的, 但 EFET 装置就不用。

结果：在接受 EFET 和 Meniett 装置治疗的患者中, 眩晕频率在治疗后显著降低。治疗后 4 个月的眩晕结果分布在使用这两种装置治疗的患者之间不存在差异。

结论和意义：通过 EFET 装置治疗中耳压力是有效的, 并且和Meniett 装置一样, 为难治性 MD 和 DEH 提供了微创选择。

Keywords:

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

Acknowledgments

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

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan (20FC1048).