Long-term hearing results following vestibular surgery in Meniere's disease.
Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the long-term hearing changes following vestibular surgery in patients with Meniere's disease.
Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of patients operated on in a tertiary referral center setting. Methods: Preoperative, postoperative, and 3- to 9-year postoperative audiograms were analyzed in two patient groups. Twenty-one patients underwent posterior fossa vestibular neurectomy (VN) and five, mastoid endolymphatic sac decompression and shunt (ELS). All frequencies, four-frequency pure-tone averages (PTAs), spondee thresholds, and speech recognition scores were compared for operated ear against nonoperated ear of VN subjects. The results were subjected to a covariance analysis. VN and ELS patients whose hearing deteriorated from "serviceable" (PTA < or =70 dB hearing level) and speech recognition > or =30%) to nonserviceable status were compared using nonparametric statistics.
Results: Progressive hearing loss beyond the rate of change of the normal contralateral ear was evident in all patients. Serviceable hearing dropped from 81% to 43% of patients an average of 4 years following VN.
Conclusions: VN patients have significant hearing deterioration over time in the operated ear. This finding suggests that continued postoperative medical management is necessary for patients undergoing VN.