What a Neurosurgeon Should Know About the Endolymphatic Sac: Part 3 – Ménière Disease

Abstract

Objective To elucidate all the aspects that neurosurgeons should know about the Ménière disease (MD). Methods Review of guidelines, books, and studies from 1933 to 2021, from basic to translational research, using human and animal endolymphatic sac (ES) tissue or cells, as well as reviews, case reports, and papers about surgical experience. This article is divided into three parts. In this last part, we review the MD. Results The MD is one of the most common pathologies in the ES. It was first described by Prosper Ménière in 1861 with its clinical triad: dizziness, tinnitus, and hearing loss. A lot of theories relating ES to the MD have been proposed. Some of them postulate that it is caused by a narrowing and shortening in the endolymphatic duct, and others relate it to severe inflammation on the ES. Mostly due to the lack of understanding of this pathology, the diagnosis is mainly clinical, despite histopathology being helpful to confirm the diagnosis. The treatment of the MD can be done in 3 different ways: pharmacological, nonpharmacological, and surgical. Conclusion The MD is one of the most common pathologies in the inner ear and has been largely studied over the years. The latest diagnosis guidelines must help in the classification and give better basis for diagnosis and treatment, which, despite not being curative yet, has improved over the years. Pharmacological treatment based on the possible etiologies, allied with proper diet and routine exercise, is showing promising results.