Abstract
When we failed medical treatment for patients with intractable Meniere's disease, we must consider surgical treatment for persistant definitive vertigo and progressive sensorineural hearing loss. As the next step, endolymphatic sac surgery (functional improvement surgery) or vestibular neurectomy/intratympanic gentamicin therapy (partial labyrinthectomy) should be undertaken. The former makes possible effects of functional improvement on equilibrium and hearing, but it is said that there is a possibility of recurrent vertigo in near future. The latter makes almost complete relief from vertigo, but there is a possibility of hearing disturbance after treatment.
In the present study, in order to prospect the long-term results before endolymphatic sac drainage and steroid-instillation surgery (EDSS), we examined relationships between the preoperative findings and EDSS results. In cases with low frequency of preoperative vertigo, much more excellent resuls of EDSS in control of vertigo and hearing improvement were obtained than in cases with vertigo in high frequency. It is suggested that EDSS could be recommended for patients with low frequency of preoperative definitive vertigo.
