THE NONINVASIVE ASSESSMENT OF INTRACOCHLEAR PRESSURE .2. FINDINGS IN PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM MENIERES-DISEASE, FLUCTUATING DEEP TONE HEARING AND PERIPHERAL-VESTIBULAR ATTACKS OF VERTIGO

The tympanic membrane displacement technique (TMD) is aimed at evaluating intracochlear and intracranial pressure changes non-invasively. Therefore, the present paper describes the findings in patients with Meniere's disease where an increase in volume of the endolymphatic spaces is discussed. It should be investigated to which extent a change in the intracochlear pressure corresponds to different stages of the disease. It could be described that the intracochlear pressure between the attacks. The glycerol test as well as the acute attack (case report on one patient) are, however, characterised by distinct patterns. The same holds true for the late-stage Meniere's. It could be demonstrated that the functional patency of the cochlear aquaeduct in patients with long-term Meniere's history is reduced. This finding is surprising and should be investigated further In essence, the TMD technique enables to better characterise Meniere patients, but it should not be a tool of routine diagnosis of the disease. In some audiological patients, it can also be beneficially applied (10).