Insertion of tympanic ventilation tubes as a treating modality for patients with Meniereʹs disease: a short- and long-term follow-up study in seven cases

Objectives: As a treatment for patients with Meniereʹs disease, insertion of a ventilating tube in tympanic membrane was carried out, and the effect of the therapeutic modality was analysed. Methods: Seven patients (four males and three females, age ranged 35–62 years) with active Meniereʹs disease were placed with ventilating tubes in the affected ear and postoperative change in symptoms, i.e. incapacitating vertigo and hearing loss were investigated. Disease severity was scored and evaluated pre- and postoperatively under the guidelines proposed by the Committee on Hearing and Equilibrium in the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS, 1985). Results: Of the seven cases, the number of patients and the degree in controlling vertigo after the treatment were: at 24 months (short-term) five cases with substantial, one with limited and one with insignificant control, then at 42 months (long- term) four cases with substantial, three with limited control, respectively. The degree of disability in patients at 24 and 42 months of the treatment was compatible with the level of vertigo controlling. On the other hand, patients’ hearing level was not affected by the treatment. Conclusions: Exact explanation for the effect of ventilating tubes in tympanic membrane is vague and its therapeutic effect was limited. However, at least this treatment might represent a short-term effect for the reduction of persistent vertigo in some patients with Meniereʹs disease and so it might become a treatment option because of its simple and less-invasive procedure.