Pharmacologic labyrinthectomy.

Pharmacologic labyrinthectomy has become an alternative to surgery for treatment of severe Ménièr's disease. The use of systemic streptomycin has been replaced by intratympanal instillations of gentamicin that are administered once daily for a limited number of days. Gentamicin provides a high success rate for ablation of vertigo without causing any unnecessary negative effects on hearing. Future development of more selective vestibulotoxic chemicals could mean that pharmacologic labyrinthectomy will become a simple and ultimate treatment for disabling Ménière's disease.