Objective: To describe the safety and potential efficacy of intratympanic administration of triamcinolone (40 mg/mL) in the treatment of unilateral Ménière's syndrome.
Study design: Single-institution retrospective analysis.
Setting: Tertiary referral neurotology clinic.
Patients: Eighteen patients diagnosed with unilateral Ménière's syndrome with vertigo refractory to medical management.
Intervention(s): Intratympanic injection of triamcinolone or dexamethasone.
Outcome measure(s): Kaplan-Meier analysis was implemented to determine the rate of successful vertigo control. Responders were defined as patients who achieved sufficient vertigo control to decline ablative therapy. Nonresponders were defined as those who did not achieve satisfactory vertigo control and required ablative or surgical therapy. Pre- and posttreatment audiogram data was used to evaluate changes in hearing. Patient follow-up data was assessed for complications potentially resulting from intratympanic therapy.
Results: No patient experienced profound hearing loss or other serious adverse events as a result of intratympanic triamcinolone therapy. Tympanic membrane perforation occurred in three (18%) patients, all of whom had received three or more previous intratympanic injections. Satisfactory vertigo control with intratympanic triamcinolone therapy was achieved in 14 (78%) of 18 subjects.
Conclusion: Our results suggest that intratympanic triamcinolone therapy on an as-needed basis is a safe and potentially effective procedure for vertigo control in patients with Ménière's syndrome. These findings warrant the implementation of prospective, controlled trials to investigate its safety and efficacy further.