Vertigo Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Vertigo, including details on causes, symptoms, treatment, dizziness.

Diagnosis and management of lateral semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

White JA, Coale KD, Catalano PJ, Oas JG

The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA. whitej3@ccf.org

OBJECTIVE: Describe the diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of a group of 20 patients with lateral semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (LSC-BPPV). STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Retrospective review of 20 patients with LSC-BPPV (10 with geotropic and 10 with apogeotropic nystagmus) presenting to a tertiary balance center. Diagnosis was confirmed with infrared nystagmography in Dix-Hallpike positioning tests and supine positional tests. Patients were treated with one or more particle repositioning maneuvers. RESULTS: Addition of supine positional nystagmus tests to Dix-Hallpike positioning testing improves sensitivity in the diagnosis of LSC-BPPV. Treatment outcomes in the apogeotropic LSC-BPPV group were poorer than the geotropic LSC-BPPV group. SIGNIFICANCE: Adding supine positional testing to routine vestibular diagnostic testing will increase the identification of LSC-BPPV. Apogeotropic LSC-BPPV is more challenging to treat.

Published 9 August 2005 in Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 133(2): 278-84.
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