[Natural history of Menière's disease concerning 92 cases from 1971 to 1980].

The author analyzes 92 cases of Ménière's disease seen for the first time between 1971 and 1980 (average duration: 3 years and 11 months). The isolated forms of cochlear and vestibular onset are respectively in the order of 21% with periods of 10 to 13 years before the appearance of the second symptom. In this series, the frequency of bilateral forms appears to be low (7.5%). It is probably much greater in the long term, justifying conservative therapeutic methods for hearing. A total of 22 patients underwent surgery: decompression of the saccus endolymphaticus (10 cases); vestibular neurectomy (11 cases); decompressive plate (3 cases); and sacculotomy operation of Fick (2 cases). Four patients were operated on twice.