Menieres Disease

Ear
Inflammatory / infectious / autoimmune / systemic disorders
Menieres Disease

Author: Nat Pernick, M.D. (see Authors page)

Revised: 8 February 2018, last major update October 2013

Copyright: (c) 2002-2018, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.

PubMed Search: Menieres disease [title]

Table of Contents

Definition / general | Treatment | Microscopic (histologic) description | Microscopic (histologic) images | Additional references

Cite this page: Pernick, N. Menieres Disease. PathologyOutlines.com website. http://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/earmeniere.html. Accessed October 17th, 2018.

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

Additional references