Ear-lobe electro-cochleography [ECochG] in Meniere's disease

ABSTRACT

Twelve Meniere's disease patients participated in this study and compared with a normal hearing control group. A classical picture of Meniere's disease [vertigo, tinnitus, hearing loss and feeling of pressure in the ear] was present. Pure tone audiometry showed a significant elevation in hearing threshold at all frequencies in comparison with the control group. However, the classic low frequency SNHL of mild to moderate degree with preserved higher frequencies was the hearing threshold configuration. Semicircular canal weakness was documented. Extratympanic noninvasive ECochG using a horizontal recording montage was used with a surface active electrode on the ipsilateral earlobe and a reference electrode on the contralateral one. A low forehead surface electrode served as a base. The ECochG showed enlarged SP and SP/AP ratio than the normal control. SP/AP ratio was 0.248 +/- 0.094 for the control and 0.683 +/- 0.123 for the study group. The sensitivity of ECochG was 90% in the control and 83.3% in the Meniere's groups. Extratympanic earlobe ECochG offers a valuable objective test for the diagnosis of Meniere's disease. It permits a high quality recording with a minimal professional time or patient discomfort