Bifenestral surgical and chemical labyrinthectomy, a new effective ablative surgical approach to intractable vertigo in Ménière disease elderly patients

Acta Otorrinolaringol Esp (Engl Ed). 2023 May-Jun;74(3):169-174. doi: 10.1016/j.otoeng.2022.09.001. Epub 2022 Sep 30.

Abstract

Introduction: In this article, the bi-fenestral surgical chemical labyrinthectomy is introduced as a surgical demolition technique for treating resisting incurable forms of Meniere's disease in patients aged over 70 and/or with low hearing residues refractory to medical treatment.

Materials and methods: The results on participants fitting the inclusion criteria (n = 16) were reported using anamnesis (frequency of the crisis), Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) and Functional Level Scale (FLS) before and after the intervention.

Results: Vertigo control was achieved in all patients of this case series. A difference of 57 and 3.67 in mean DHI (from 68 (SD 16.7) to 11 (SD 14)) and FLS (from 4.68 (SD 0.7) to 0.1 (SD 0.3)) scores respectively were seen after an average of 16.28 months. Contextually tinnitus was reported to improve in seven patients (43.75%), aggravate in three (18.75%) and remain unchanged in the remaining six (37.5%).

Conclusion: Bi-fenestral surgical chemical labyrinthectomy appears a safe, immediate, and effective demolition treatment for vertigo control in a restricted class of patients affected by intractable Meniere disease.

Keywords: Dizziness; Enfermedad de Meniere; Hearing loss; Mareos; Meniere disease; Pérdida de audición; Tinnitus; Vertigo; Vértigo.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Dizziness
  • Ear, Inner*
  • Humans
  • Meniere Disease* / complications
  • Meniere Disease* / surgery
  • Tinnitus*
  • Vertigo / etiology
  • Vertigo / surgery