What is a major consequence of surgery for Meniere's disease?

In the context of Meniere's disease, surgery is often considered as a treatment option to alleviate severe symptoms, especially when conservative management has failed. One major consequence of such surgical interventions, particularly procedures like labyrinthectomy or vestibular nerve section, is the potential for total hearing loss in the affected ear.

Surgery aims to either remove or decompress structures within the inner ear to reduce the debilitating symptoms associated with Meniere's disease, such as vertigo and hearing fluctuations. However, because these procedures involve altering the anatomy of the inner ear, they carry a significant risk of compromising auditory function in that ear. This is particularly critical as many of the surgical techniques are essentially "destructive" in nature, meaning they inherently may affect hearing adversely.

In contrast, while tinnitus, loss of balance, and persistent dizziness can occur as side effects from surgery, they do not have the same level of permanence or severity as the risk of total hearing loss. Balance issues and dizziness may improve post-surgery due to alleviating the primary condition, and tinnitus can also persist but is not guaranteed to worsen permanently. Therefore, the risk of total hearing loss is a crucial consideration for patients and healthcare providers when evaluating surgical options for Meniere's disease.