Outcome-Based Assessment of Endolymphatic Sac Surgery for Meniere's Disease

This study reports the preliminary results of an outcomes approach to analysis of the effectiveness of endolymphatic sac decompression (ELSD). Using the medical outcomes survey's 36‐item, shortform health survey (SF‐36), we assessed the quality of life in 33 patients with disabling Meniere's disease undergoing ELSD for medically intractable vertigo. Results indicate that patients with 1995 American Academy of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck Surgery(AAO/HNS) class A or B outcomes showed no significant difference from population norms on the SF‐36, whereas patients with AAO/HNS classes C to E outcomes scored significantly below norms. Six patients who were given the SF‐36 preoperatively scored consistently below population norms. Postoperatively, they showed a statistically significant improvement and were statistically equal to norms. These findings suggest that the SF‐36 is a good measure of the quality of life impairment in patients with disabling Meniere's disease. In addition, SF‐36 scores correlated well with the 1995 AAO/HNS classification.