Abstract
The effect of diuretics on endolymphatic hydrops which was produced by obliteration of the endolymphatic duct and sac in guinea pigs, was determined. Acetazolamide is well known to be an inhibitor of carbonic anhydrase. In the present experiment this drug seemed to reduce hydrops. This effect was determined by volumetric study on the cochlea. Application of t-test yielded a statistically significant difference between animals with and without medical treatment one month postoperatively. No difference was seen in animals with four months survival time. On the other hand, there appeared to be no effect, in statistics, on hydrops in animals which were treated with chlorthalidone one and four months postoperatively.
There was no essential difference in the extent of cochlear sensory and neural atrophy in animals with or without drug treatments. Mechanisms of the drug effects on hydrops and clinical implication were discussed.
