Author Description

The Fourth International Symposium on Menière’s Disease was held in Paris in April 1999, in the Montparnasse area close to Prosper Menière’s tomb. This meeting followed the three earlier symposia on Menière’s disease, which have been organized every six years since 1981 in Düsseldorf, Boston and, most recently, in Rome. 1999 saw the bicentenary of Menière’s birth, and to commemorate this, François Legent organized a historical symposium on the different aspects of Prosper Menière’s life. Together with Michel Portmann, the two honorary presidents, Robert Kimura and Jean-Marc Sterkers, gave excellent lectures on the two main topics of Menière’s disease: on experimental endolymphatic hydrops, and the role of both vestibular neurectomy and sac surgery. Numerous papers were presented on research and clinical experiences, and were particularly devoted to the better understanding of both the development of experimental endolymphatic hydrops and the evolution of Menière’s disease. Attention was also drawn to the local treatment of Menière’s disease by the application of drugs to the round window, and furthermore, the indications for and results of surgery for incapacitating vertigo were well defined. Finally, we are pleased to say that this was a very successful meeting and we would like to express our thanks to all the companies, and in particular Solvay Pharmaceuticals, that supported this event. We are certain that the first international symposium of the new millennium on Menière’s disease, which is to be organized by David Lim in the USA, will be even more successful and fruitful than this one. The organizing committee