Ménière's disease: results of treatment with the endolymphatic subarachnoid shunt.

Every otolaryngologist confronts the problem of therapy for Ménière's disease. Although the classic triadic symptoms of episodic vertigo, tinnitus and fluctuating sensorineural hearing loss are well known, an effective and permanent method of relief from these disabling attacks is not known. Medical and particularly surgical treatments of Ménière's disease are controversial. This chapter discusses the senior author's experience with surgical treatment of 125 patients with Ménière's disease. In-depth case analyses are presented in an attempt to identify factors that may account for success or failure of the endolymphatic subarachnoid shunt operation.