Journal Reviews
Centralisation of care for acoustic tumour surgeries?
Several factors are responsible for readmission after acoustic tumour removal. The authors retrospectively studied the association between hospital, patient and insurance factors with the rate of readmission following acoustic tumour removal in the United States using the Nationwide Readmission Database...
The effect of vertigo on sleep
The authors analysed data of 20,950 individuals who completed the balance and dizziness supplements of the ongoing NHIS survey in 2008. The survey used a strict algorithm to identify individuals reporting vestibular vertigo and information on sleep duration and a...
Wearable sensors for assessment of vestibular disorders
This prospective preliminary study describes the use of commercially available wearable inertial sensors (Mobility LabTM) in assessing the functional ability of individuals with vestibular disorders. Traditionally the Romberg’s, Tandem Walking and Fukuda’s Stepping tests were used to clinically evaluate individuals...
Associated findings in MRI used for detecting acoustic neuroma
Presently, gadolinium enhanced magnetic resonance imaging is the ‘gold standard’ for investigating acoustic neuroma. There are often ‘incidental’ findings that may or may not be significant. In this study of 109 scans, the authors noted an uptake of 0.9% for...
Performing a labyrinthectomy
This article takes the reader through the two main approaches for a labyrinthectomy for intractable Meniere’s disease. These are the traditional trans-mastoid and the less well known trans-canal. They state that according to the House clinic, the selection criteria for...
Acute peripheral vestibulopathy: is it really neuritis?
The pathophysiology of acute vestibular dysfunction has been debated for decades. By seeking to clarify the underlying aetiology, this study muddies the waters further by advocating systemic and intratympanic steroids as first line treatment if the aetiology is uncertain. The...
How effective is vestibular rehabilitation in bilateral vestibular failure?
In patients with bilateral vestibular hypofunction (BVH), the outcome of vestibular rehabilitation is mixed. The aim of the study was to identify factors associated with outcome of vestibular rehabilitation (VR) in patients with BVH. A retrospective case notes review identified...
Otolith dysfunction in congenitally deaf adults
This paper helps to further define the profile of ocular and cervical vestibular-evoked myogenic potentials (o and c VEMPs) in patients with congenital profound sensorineural hearing loss (PSHL). It highlights the prevalence of otolith (saccular and utricular) dysfunction that exists...
Horizontal nystagmus: vestibular neuritis or lateral canal BPPV?
A horizontal nystagmus due to lateral canal (LSC) BPPV that is present in the upright position, that changes direction with head turn in the horizontal plane has been termed ‘pseudo-spontaneous nystagmus’ (PSN) because it mimics that of vestibular neuritis. The...
Vestibular migraine – the story so far and the work still to do
This interesting discussion paper begins with an overview of the background to the development of vestibular migraine as a separate diagnostic category. It discusses in some depth the diagnostic uncertainties in the context of an entity without a biomarker and...
Selective otolith dysfunctions objectively verified
Three cases of patients with acute onset vertigo are presented here. The presenting symptoms are described for each case along with the results of vestibular and audiologic examination. This paper focuses on the results of vHIT in the plane of...
Is auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder a disorder of the whole eighth cranial nerve?
Auditory neuropathy spectrum disorder (ANSD) is now well recognised in audiological circles. Vestibular nerve function has not been extensively studied in ANSD. The authors used cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) and caloric tests to assess the integrity of the...
