Triggers and Treatments (Part Seven)
Medical Devices and Surgical Procedures
Although Ménière’s Disease is ‘relatively rare’ in the United States and other countries, the medical community has shown some interest in helping sufferers of the illness. We looked at Lifestyle Changes and Medications in previous articles. We turn now to Medical Devices and Surgical Procedures.
Medical Devices
A medical device is any appliance, apparatus, software, material, or other articles, which may be used in isolation or combination (as defined by the manufacturer) by individuals for a medical purpose. News Medical Life Sciences
Since Ménière’s Disease affects people in so many different ways (e.g. dizziness, imbalance, hearing loss, vertigo), we will find many ‘medical devices’ that can help. Here are some to consider, depending on your need at the moment or in the future. You may want to discuss these devices with your ENT, Neurologist, and/or Audiologist before purchasing. You can also talk with other Ménière’s patients who have experience with these devices to see if the investment is worth your time and money. Also, check to see what devices are covered (fully or partially) by your insurance company
[I am a journalist, not a salesman. I am in no way recommending any of these devices. My only purpose is to report about what medical devices are available to the public. The decision to use them (or not) is yours and your doctor’s.]
Hearing Protection
Choose The Hearing Protection That’s Right For You — NIOSH, CDC
Expandable Foam Plugs
Pre-molded Reusable Plugs
Semi-insert Earplugs
Canal Caps
Safety Earmuffs
Hearing Aids and Implants
Types of Hearing Aids and How They Work — Cleveland Clinic
Hearing Aids vs. Cochlear Implants — Duke Health
CROS and BiCROSS Hearing Systems — Healthy Hearing
Bone Anchored Hearing Aid (BAHA) — Healthy Hearing
Bone Conduction Hearing Aids — Johns Hopkins Medicine
Middle Ear or Cochlear Implant — Cambridge University Hospitals
Benefits and Risks - FDA
Auditory Brainstem Implant — Mayo Clinic
Meniett® Device — National Library of Medicine
Positive pressure therapy — Cochrane Library
Meniett Clinical Trial: Long-term Follow-up — JAMA Otolaryngology
Tinnitus Devices
Hearing Aids / Masking Devices — American Tinnitus Association
Sound Therapy/Generators — American Tinnitus Association
Retraining Device — NYU Langone Health
Common Device Masking - Dizziness-and-Balance
Sound and Electrical Stimulation of the Tongue — Science Daily, University of Minnesota
Tinnitool Therapy — National Library of Medicine
Clinical Trials
Mastoid Oscillator — ClinicalTrials.gov
Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation — ClinicalTrials.gov
Otoband Experimental — ClinicalTrials.gov
Surgical Procedures
If the incidences of vertigo are not controlled by medications, surgery may be recommended. Surgical procedures can eliminate the frequent spells of vertigo that occur in Meniere's disease; however, no surgery has been found to improve the hearing loss. Mount Sinai Center for Hearing and Balance
Some surgical procedures for Ménière’s Disease are viewed as ‘non-destructive’ to hearing, while others are viewed as ‘destructive’ to hearing. Doctors have told me that surgical procedures to the ear are ‘very delicate.’ I was also told that ‘ablative’ treatments for people with bilateral Meniere's Disease was generally ‘contraindicated’ because of risks of ‘bilateral vestibular and cochlear hypofunction.’
I used a variety of medical and health insurance information publicly available for my research. I talked with doctors from a variety of specialties concerning Ménière’s, watched many videos about surgical options, talked with people suffering with Ménière’s, and visited many Ménière’s forums to see what other people were saying about their experience with surgical procedures.
As always, discuss these options with your doctors.
Non-Destructive to Hearing
Endolymphatic sac, or shunt, surgery — Mount Sinai Center for Hearing & Balance
Endolymphatic sac decompression/endolymphatic sac drainage — JAMA Otolaryngology
Intra-tympanic corticosteroids injections/perfusions — National Library of Medicine
Lateral semi-circular canal plugging — Otology & Neurotology Journal
Perilymphatic fistula patching — Cleveland Clinic
Sacculotomy — Otolaryngologic Clinics of North America
Tympanostomy tube insertion — National Library of Medicine
Vestibular nerve decompression — Bon Secours
Vestibular neurectomy (nerve section) or neurotomy (including middle fossa or retrosigmoid vestibular neurotomy) — Science Direct
Destructive to Hearing
Cochleosacculotomy — JAMA Otolaryngology
Intra-tympanic gentamicin — The Lancet
Labyrinthectomy — Science Direct
Translabyrinthine vestibular neurectomy - Mercy Health
Vestibulocochlear neurectomy — MedicineNet
Investigational and Experimental
(Some insurance companies may not cover these, so check on that before proceeding.)
Cochleostomy with neurovascular transplant — Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Intra-tympanic injection of dexamethasone thermo-sensitive gel — National Library of Medicine
Positive pressure therapy for improving outcomes of endolymphatic sac surgery — Frontiers in Neurology
Simultaneous labyrinthectomy with cochlear implantation (for bilateral Meniere's disease) — Cambridge University
Tenotomy of the stapedius and tensor tympani muscles — Acta Oto-Laryngologica Journal
Triple semi-circular canal plugging — MedicalXPress
Triple semicircular canal plugging: a novel modality for the treatment of intractable Meniere's disease — National Library of Medicine
We’ll look at Counseling and Physical Therapy in the next Managing Ménière's Disease newsletter.
“… rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer.” Romans 12:12
Here’s to hope!
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