Histopathology of Human Gentamicin Ototoxicity and Meniere's Disease

Abstract

In a patient whose severe vertigo with accompanying head movement during treatment with gentamicin was relieved after discontinuance of the treatment, objective findings and histology of the temporal bone were investigated. Although maculae were normal, many sensory cells at the crist of ampulla were atrophied and a lot of vacuoles were observed in the sensory epithelium. An eosinophilic substance existed on dark cells starting at the lateral side of crista of ampulla. In this report, the relationship between histological pictures and clinical symptoms in this patient was discussed. The so-far publicly reported histological findings on human vestibule and semicircular canal after administration of aminoglycoside drugs were reviewed.
Histological pictures of the temporal bone obtained in a patient with M eniere's disease who had suffered from cyclic attacks of vertigo for 30 years and exhibited endolymphatic hydrops were presented and discussion was made on these histological pictures and the onset mechanism of vertigo attack.