Search

Rapid Interpretation of Balance Function Tests

I read the title with some concern as I would prefer my test interpretation to be ‘accurate’ rather than ‘rapid’, nevertheless the content of the book delivers what one would anticipate is intended, which is an easy to read outline...

Identifying CN IX and X using endotracheal tube electrodes

This clinical study describes the possible usefulness of endotracheal tube electrodes in monitoring vocal cord function during cerebellopontine angle surgery in 20 patients. Lower cranial nerves, especially IX and X are at risk of injury during skull base surgery although...

Persistent imbalance after traumatic brain injury is central in origin

Several residual symptoms, including dizziness and imbalance, can follow traumatic brain injury, no matter how mild. This study focused on the mechanisms, peripheral and central, underlying the complaint of persistent imbalance in patients with chronic mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI)....

Obstructive sleep apnoea in common vestibular disorders

The importance of getting a good night’s sleep is often acknowledged but may be particularly difficult to achieve for those with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). In addition to high blood pressure, increased risk of stroke and depression, balance problems may...

Subtypes of vestibular migraine

The authors argue that the current Barany criteria (ICVD) for vestibular migraine (definite and probable – dVM and pVM) are too restrictive. For instance, whereas a category of chronic migraine with or without aura is recognised in ICHD-3, ‘chronic VM’...

Balance Disorders: A Brief Overview

Managing balance patients poses a challenge for many clinicians. Vestibular disorders affect a large part of the population and hence present to various specialties including ENT, audiology, neurology and primary care. The healthcare cost of balance disorders and any resultant...

Visual vertigo and optokinetic response

This study measured differences in optokinetic responses (sitting, standing, with and without a static visual target) in three groups of people: those classified as having unilateral vestibular loss (n=10), unilateral loss with visual vertigo (n=8) and a control group (n=10)....

Impaired vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain correlates with hearing loss in vestibular schwannoma

The lack of correlation between the size of vestibular schwannoma (VS) and degree of hearing loss and vestibular function tests is well known. In this retrospective study, the focus was on the correlation between VOR gain of semicircular canal function,...

Does the season affect the diagnosis of vestibular disorders?

There are mixed results in the literature regarding seasonal variation in the presentation of various peripheral vestibular disorders. In this large population study involving over 20,000 patients recruited from 116 ENT practices across Germany, the authors analysed the demographic characteristics...

How does the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI) correlate with demographics and symptoms of patients?

The DHI is widely used to assess the self-perceived emotional, functional and physical disability in subjects with dizziness and balance problems. By studying the data of 568 patients retrospectively, the authors sought to determine the gender and age differences in...