Multicenter study on the treatment pattern of Meniere'sdisease in Korea

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: It is hard to determine the efficacy of several treatment options of Meniere's disease since dynamic course of the disease and diverse rate of recurrence. Few modalities are regarded as 'effective' in the viewpoint of evidence based medicine. Study was conducted to know the current status of treatment options for Meniere's disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multicenter survey was conducted using questionnaires to collect information on current status of treatment patterns in Meniere's disease. The questionnaire answered by neurotologic surgeons working at 12 institutes in Korea was analyzed. RESULTS: Low salt diet was always instructed to their patients, but 8 out of 12 responders (67%) did not emphasis on the amount of dietary salt. Duration of pharmacotherapy was ranged from 3 to 12 months. Intratympanic steroid injection was performed in 8 institutes (67%). Every institute agreed on the role of intratympanic gentamicin application. Treatment options for intractable patients were asked. Endolymphatic sac surgery, intratympanic steroid, Meniette device and intratympanic aminoglycoside injection were answered in patients who hope to preserve residual hearing. On the contrary, in patients without serviceable hearing, intratympanic jnjection of aminoglycosides (9/12, 75%) dominated as the next treatment option. CONCLUSIONS: Most institutes provide similar patterns of practice in medical treatment. The application of intratympanic aminoglycoside is also agreed in intractable patients without serviceable hearing. However, thoughts about the role and detailed methods of the surgical and adjunctive treatment options were not agreed, especially in intractable patients with good hearing. Further clinical studies and discussions would be necessary to provide consensus for the best treatment of Meniere's disease in Korea.