Intratympanic Gentamicin for Small Vestibular Schwannomas With Intractable Vertigo.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the objective and subjective effects of intratympanic gentamicin treatment in patients with small vestibular schwannomas who exhibit intractable vertigo.

PATIENTS: Individuals diagnosed with small vestibular schwannomas who exhibited intractable vertigo were retrospectively reviewed.

INTERVENTIONS: Intratympanic gentamicin injection.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Vertigo control.

RESULTS: Eight patients were included in the study. All patients achieved complete or substantial control of vertigo attacks while six patients reported residual imbalance. Three patients experienced significant hearing loss during therapy and follow-up. Only one patient showed a drop from Class B to Class C. Caloric tests and vestibular evoked myogenic potentials showed that all patients exhibited impaired peripheral vestibular function before treatment and that unilateral vestibular deafferentation was achieved during follow-up. Dizziness Handicap Inventory scores decreased over time, indicating an increase in the quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS: Intratympanic gentamicin could provide an efficient approach to control intractable vertigo caused by small vestibular schwannoma. Before treatment, a complete physical examination, hearing level evaluation, vestibular function evaluation, and appropriate patient expectations are indispensable.