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Evidence summaries

Surgery for Ménière's Disease

Endolymphatic sac surgery is probably not beneficial in Ménière's disease. Level of evidence: "C"

Summary

A Cochrane review [Abstract] 1 included 2 studies with a total of 59 subjects with Ménière's disease. The only surgical intervention which met the inclusion criteria was endolymphatic sac surgery. One trial compared endolymphatic sac surgery with ventilation tubes and another with simple mastoidectomy. The follow-up times were one year and 9 years. Regarding vertigo, hearing and tinnitus, significant differences could not be found between the two treatment groups in either trial during the follow-up. Both trials conclude that about 70% of participants in both the placebo and treatment group had alleviation of symptoms.

Comment: The quality of the evidence is downgraded by study quality (unclear allocation concealment) and imprecise results (few patients for each comparison).

Clinical comments

Note

Date of latest search:

    References

    • Pullens B, Verschuur HP, van Benthem PP. Surgery for Ménière's disease. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2013;2():CD005395. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords