Positive Hennebert's sign in Meniere's disease

Abstract

A positive Hennebert's sign was found in 24 of 81 (30%) of ears with Meniere's disease and in none of 22 cases of vestibular schwannoma or 100 normal controls. Negative pressure applied to the external auditory canal was the required stimulus in 14 of 24 (58%) ears. The character of induced eye motion was variable, although horizontal nystagmus was found in 22 of 24 (92%) ears. A positive Hennebert's sign is seen in a variety of labyrinthine lesions and gives corroborative evidence for a cochlear site of hearing impairment with hydrops and vestibulofibrosis are the underlying pathophysiologic condition.