Lateral Body Sway Provoked by Pressure Loading to the External Auditory Canal in Cases of Ménière's Disease

A posturological study of Pseudofistula sign

Abstract

It is well known that pressure changes applied to the external auditory canal produce eye movements in some cases of Ménière, s disease (Hennebert's sign or pseudofistula sign). Theire influence on posture was studied by measuring the change in lateral body sway when a quantitatively regulated pressure load was applied to the external ear canal (PLT). A total of 82 subjects were sutudied by this method. Of these 47 suffered from Ménière's disease and 15 from sud-den profound sensorineural hearing loss; 20 normal subjects were served as controls. Our test results showed that 26 (55%) of the 47 patients with Ménière's disease showed a difference in PLT thres-hold between the right and left ears and only 3 (20%) of the 15 patients suffering from sudden profound hearing loss and 1 (5%) of the normal subjects exibited such a differece. In the patients with Ménière's disease, a statistically significant correlation was found between the PLT and low tone hearing level and also between the PLT and the flluctuation of hearing in the low tone range. The presence of a positive PLT provides usefull information not only about the site of the lesion but also about the stage of Ménière's disease.