gms | German Medical Science

Background: Among the typical symptoms in Menière’s disease, attacks of vertigo, hearing loss, tinnitus and fullness of the ear, vertigo is the most molesting symptom patients complain about. If conservative treatment failed to reduce the severity and frequency of vertigo attacks, surgical treatment is beside transtympanic gentamicin application the only effort to improve quality of life.

Patients and methods: 151 patients, who underwent endolymphatic sac surgery at the ENT-Department of the University of Würzburg, were analysed retrospectively by records and questionnaire. 43.7% were females and 56.3% males. The age was between 18 and 80 years on average 48.4 years. 32 patients (21.2%) underwent endolymphatic sac revision surgery after having an asymptomatic period up to 2 years after first surgery.

Results: Duration, severity and frequency of vertigo were controlled permanently in 75% of the patients by endolymphatic sac surgery, 80% of them were completely and permanently free of any symptoms. The mean follow-up period comprised 7 years. 7 patients (4.6%) deafened after surgery; all of them had a preoperative pancochlear hearing loss of 60-70 dB. Other relevant complications didn’t occur.

Conclusion: Compared to the results of transtympanic gentamicin application with rates of deafness up to 25 to 40 % endolymphatic sac surgery is a safe and effective treatment of Menière’s disease and should be taken into account, when conservative treatment failed.