Is endolymphatic sac surgery an efficient treatment of Menière's disease patients? A systematic literature search and meta-analysis

PURPOSE: The purpose of this work is to assess the treatment efficiency of endolymphatic sac surgery in patients with Menière's disease. METHODS: This study provides a systematic literature review and meta-analysis based on the guidelines of the Cochrane Collaboration and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol. The main inclusion criteria of the literature review were the classification categories according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery guidelines of 1985 and 1995. RESULTS: An effect of 9.25 dB postoperative weighted average hearing loss in surgically treated individuals is classified as "clinically not significant" according to American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 85/95. In contrast, the deterioration by 26.23% in speech comprehension is considered as "clinically significant." An improvement of functional level scale assessment by two categories and vertigo control by assessment in category B can be observed. CONCLUSION: The findings of this meta-analysis indicate that endolymphatic sac surgery may be beneficial as a treatment for Menière's disease in terms of a positive impact on functional level scale and vertigo control while yielding a negative impact on pure tone average hearing loss and on speech comprehension.