Ear
Inflammatory / infectious / autoimmune / systemic disorders
Menieres Disease
Author: Nat Pernick, M.D.
Topic Completed: 1 October 2013
Minor changes: 26 August 2019
Revised: 07 January 2019
Copyright: (c) 2002-2019, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Menieres disease [title]
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Treatment | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) images | Additional referencesCite this page: Pernick N. Menieres Disease. PathologyOutlines.com website. http://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/earmeniere.html. Accessed July 6th, 2020.
Definition / general
- Also called endolymphatic hydrops
- Idiopathic disorder of inner ear associated with episodic attacks of vertigo, fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus and sensation of aural fullness
- Incidence varies from 7.5 per 100K in France to 157 per 100K in England
- 60% women, peaks in 40s to 60s but wide age range
- Rarely occurs in children (J Laryngol Otol 2006;120:343)
- Associated with HLA B8/DR3
- May be due to accumulation of endolymph in membranous labyrinth, perhaps due to inadequate absorption by endolymphatic sac
Treatment
- Dietary modification, intermittent dehydration, diuretics, vasodilators in increase microcirculation of ear
- 60 - 80% improve
- Surgery includes shunting and decompression of endolymphatic sac (Laryngoscope 2005;115:1454), labyrinthectomy, sectioning of vestibular nerve
Microscopic (histologic) description
- Initially involves cochlear duct and saccule
- Later entire endolymphatic system with dilation, rupture and collapse of membranous labyrinth with possible fistula
- May have severe atrophic changes with loss of cochlear neurons
Microscopic (histologic) images
Images hosted on other servers:
Section through cochlea
