What is endolymphatic surgery?
An endolymphatic shunt or decompression surgery is a procedure that involves placing a small silicone tube in the inner ear to drain excess fluid. This procedure can reverse the damage to the ear due to fluid buildup. It can also provide relief from associated symptoms, such as hearing loss and dizziness.
What kind of surgery is done for Meniere’s disease?
Labyrinthectomy. With this procedure, the surgeon removes the balance portion of the inner ear, thereby removing both balance and hearing function from the affected ear. This procedure is performed only if you already have near-total or total hearing loss in your affected ear.
Is surgery an option for Meniere’s?
Surgical treatment is usually offered when the conservative therapy has failed and the vertigo becomes incapacitating and untreatable by other means. The surgical options include labyrinthectomy, vestibular neurectomy, endolymphatic sac surgery and transtympanic gentamicin injections for a chemical labyrinthectomy.
What is labyrinthectomy surgery?
Labyrinthectomy is an effective surgical procedure for the management of poorly compensated unilateral peripheral vestibular dysfunction in the presence of a nonserviceable hearing ear. [1, 2] Relief from vertigo is achieved at the expense of the residual hearing in the ear to be operated.
What is Endolymphatic sac decompression surgery?
Endolymphatic sac decompression is a treatment that is performed to maintain the hydrostatic pressure and endolymph homeostasis in the inner ear for patients with Meniere’s disease. This procedure can reverse the damage to the ear while maintaining the balance of your hearing levels.
How successful is surgery for Meniere’s disease?
Endolymphatic sac surgery controls vertigo in 6 to 9 times out of every 10 patients. It can improve the hearing over time and carries a low risk of hearing loss as well. Labyrinthectomy and vestibular nerve sectioning have success rates of about 95-98%.
Do ear tubes help Meniere’s disease?
Conclusion: There is no definite pathophysiological explanation for the effect of tympanostomy tube placement in reducing vertigo attacks. This treatment is not effective for all patients with intractable Ménière’s disease.
Can you still hear after Labyrinthectomy?
This surgery destroys the entire labyrinth, or inner ear for balance. Although the cochlea is left untouched, all the hearing is lost in the ear. It eliminates all Meniere’s attacks from the operated ear. The operation is performed in hospital under general anesthesia through an incision behind the ear.
How is the endolymphatic sac of the ear treated?
Endolymphatic sac surgery is a surgical operation on the endolymphatic sac of the inner ear. A small amount of bone is removed from around the endolymphatic sac, which aims to reduce the pressure of the fluid in the sac. The procedure is performed under general anaesthesia and there are several variations.
How long does it take to remove an endolymphatic sac?
The bone will be removed to reveal the endolymphatic sac. The bone is then removed from the sac and a laser will cut a hole in the outer layer of the sac. A shunt will be inserted into the sac. Once in place, the incision is closed. The procedure takes approximately 90 minutes.
When to have a neurectomy or endolymphatic sac surgery?
If repeated endolymphatic sac surgery and/or gentamicin fails and if there is still useful hearing in the ear then the neurectomy may be considered as an option. It requires specific expertise and training to do a vestibular neurectomy.
What are the side effects of endolymphatic sac decompression surgery?
Complications can arise during endolymphatic sac decompression surgery. Complications may include: Vertigo — in some cases, vertigo attacks may not improve or even worsen. Hearing loss — in some cases, hearing may worsen. Tinnitus — in rare cases, you may experience more ringing in the ear after surgery than before surgery.