Surgical results and psychological status in patients with intractable Meniere's disease

Objectives: Mental disorder is often one of the causes to make treatments for Meniere's disease more difficult. The aim in the present study is to examine ratios of the neurosis and depression in patients with intractable Meniere's disease and also relationships between the ratios and surgical results after endolymphatic sac drainage with large doses of steroids. Methods: Between 1998 and 2009, we enrolled 263 intractable Meniere's patients and divided into two groups, 207 in surgical group and 56 in non-surgical group. We used the Cornell Medical Index (CMI) and the Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) at the diagnosis in our hospital to evaluate their psychological condition before treatments. CMI domains III and IV were defined as neurosis and SDS scores more than 40 as depression as a matter of convenience. Two years as well as seven years after surgery, patients with vertigo zero/month and hearing change > -10 dB were evaluated in success group and the others in non-success group. Results: Neurosis and depression were diagnosed in approximately 40% and 60%, respectively, of intractable Meniere's disease. Our results showed that surgical treatment significantly improved vertigo suppression and hearing gain in patients with no psychological symptoms compared with those exhibiting psychological symptoms both in surgical and non-surgical groups. Furthermore, surgical results in cases with mental disorder were superior to non-surgical results in cases without mental distress. Conclusions: All taken together, psychological supports could be necessary for improving results both in the surgical and non-surgical treatments for patients with intractable Meniere's disease. Some cases with intractable Meniere's disease should really require additional surgical treatments even after psychological therapies. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.