Main description:

A disease of unknown origin - this is the challenge presented by Meniere's disease and taken up by top clinicians and scientists, members and coworkers of The Vestibular Disorder Research Committee organized by The Ministry of Health and Welfare, Japan. They explore the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of Meniere's disease to help physicians faced with treating this intractable ailment. Specialists investigating the etiology of the disease will welcome these reports which clear the picture for future research.

Contents:

I. Introduction.- 1. Concepts and Diagnostic Criteria of Meniere's Disease.- 2. Meniere's Disease with Bilateral Fluctuating Hearing Loss.- II. Pathophysiology of Meniere's Disease.- 3. The Physical Strength of the Membranous Labyrinth and Its Relation to Endolymphatic Hydrops.- 4. Blood-Flow Regulation in the Vestibulum and Inner Ear Microvasculature in Experimental Hydrops: A Scanning Electron Microscopic Study.- 5. Electrophysiological Aspects of Surgically-Induced Endolymphatic Hydrops.- 6. The Developmental Pattern of Experimental Hydrops in the Endolymphatic Space.- 7. An Animal Model: Meniere's Disease Attack.- 8. An Experimental Study on the Mechanism of the Meniere's Attack: The Influence of High Perilymphatic Potassium Concentration on the Vestibular System.- 9. A Pathohistological Study with Four Kinds of Stress Stimulations on Active Endolymphatic Hydrops in Guinea Pigs.- 10. The Effect of Steroids on Endolymphatic Hydrops Induced by an Immunological Technique.- 11. A Pathoanatomical Study of the Endolymphatic Sac in Meniere's Disease.- 12. Labyrinthine Anomaly and Endolymphatic Hydrops.- 13. An Anatomical Study on Cadavers with a History of Dizziness: Temporal Bone and Some Arteries, Nerve Roots, and Nuclei Related to the Internal Ear.- III. Symptomatology and Diagnosis of Meniere's Disease.- 14. A Statistical Study on Patients with Meniere's Disease Visiting Our Clinic During the Past 10 Years.- 15. Prediction of Prognosis for Hearing in Meniere's Disease.- 16. A Clinical Study of the Diagnosis of the Endolymphatic Hydrops Aspect of Meniere's Disease.- 17. The Significance of the Furosemide VOR Test for Meniere's Disease.- 18. Pathogenesis of the Broad Waveform in Electrocochleograms.- 19. A Test for Predicting the Next Episode in Meniere's Disease.- 20. The Clinical Epidemiology of Meniere's Disease: Functional Asymmetry.- 21. The Contribution of Otolaryngologists in the Diagnosis of Neuro-Otological Disease: Acoustic Neuromas.- IV. Treatment of Meniere's Disease.- 22. The Treatment of Meniere's Disease with Isosorbide.- 23. Transdermal Scopolamine in the Treatment of Vertiginous Episodes Associated with Meniere's Disease.- 24. The Status of Endolymphatic Sac Surgery.- V. Other Diseases with Endolymphatic Hydrops.- 25. Endolymphatic Hydrops Induced by Chronic Otitis Media.- 26. Sudden Deafness with Bilateral Endolymphatic Hydrops.- 27. Secondary or Idiopathic Endolymphatic Hydrops?.