Horizontal canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (HC-BPPV) can be classified as either the geotropic or apogeotropic subtype by the pattern of nystagmus triggered by supine head roll test. Most studies have reported the geotropic subtype as a more common pathophysiology in HC-BPPV than the apogeotropic subtype. According to the BPPV clinical practice guideline provided by the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and American Academy of Neurology in 2008, variations of the roll maneuver (Lempert maneuver of barbecue roll maneuver) are the most widely published treatments for HC-BPPV. In addition, various treatment techniques including Gufoni maneuver, Vannuchi-Asprella liberatory maneuver and forced prolonged positioning have been applied for HC-BPPV. However, the guideline failed to provide specific treatment guidelines for HC-BPPV based on evidence-based researches since only Class IV data on HC-BPPV treatment were available at the point of 2008 when the BPPV clinical practice guideline was published. This review article focused on the evidences of the efficacy of various maneuvers in the treatment of HC-BPPV published after the BPPV clinical practice guidelines of 2008.
Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo ; Evidence-Based Medicine ; Head ; Neck ; Neurology ; Semicircular Canals

Acute peripheral vestibulopathy, of which the chief complaint is positional vertigo, comprises benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), labyrinthitis, labyrinthine fistula, and cerebellopontine angle tumors. Since the typical presentation of labyrinthine fistulas may be sensorineural hearing loss, positional vertigo, or disequilibrium, it is often difficult to distinguish from BPPV or Meniere's disease. Herein we report a 61-year-old female patient with typical symptoms and signs attributable to geotropic type variant of the lateral semicircular canal BPPV on the left side, who eventually was confirmed as having a labyrinthine fistula from chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma on the left side. This is another case where, even in the presence of isolated vertigo showing typical findings of acute peripheral vestibulopathy, other otologic symptoms and signs must not be overlooked.
Cholesteatoma* ; Ear, Inner ; Female ; Fistula* ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Humans ; Labyrinthitis ; Meniere Disease ; Middle Aged ; Neuroma, Acoustic ; Otitis Media ; Semicircular Canals ; Vertigo* ; Vestibular Neuronitis

Pseudo-vestibular neuritis is a central pathology of acute vestibular syndrome, characterized by unidirectional nystagmus mimicking acute peripheral vestibulophaty. We report a 39-year-old female patient who developed cerebellar infarction with isolated vertigo, spontaneous nystagmus, a positive head thrust test, and unilateral canal paresis in the contralesional side. The patient had no vascular risk factors. A diffusion-weighted image of the brain showed infarction of medial branch of posterior inferior and superior cerebellar artery on the left side. A magnetic resonance angiography of neck disclosed a wide range of diffused severe stenosis and narrowing of right and left vertebral arteries, respectively. This case suggests the possibility of vestibular ischemia masking the central pathology in isolated vertigo.
Adult ; Arteries ; Brain ; Constriction, Pathologic ; Embolism ; Female ; Head Impulse Test ; Humans ; Infarction ; Ischemia ; Magnetic Resonance Angiography ; Masks ; Neck ; Neuritis* ; Nystagmus, Pathologic ; Paresis* ; Pathology ; Risk Factors ; Vertebral Artery ; Vertebral Artery Dissection* ; Vertigo ; Vestibular Neuronitis

PURPOSE: In this study, we examined the difference in the treatment efficacy depending on the sympathetic activity in men with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). METHODS: In the current single-center, retrospective study, we evaluated a total of 66 male patients aged 40-70 years of age, presenting with LUTS, whose International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) exceeded 8 points. They had a past 3-month history of taking alfuzosin XL, and their heart rate variability (HRV) was measured before and after the treatment. In addition, we also recruited 39 healthy volunteers who visited a health promotion center for a regular medical check-up. They were aged between 40 and 70 years and had an IPSS of <8 points. We divided the patients with LUTS into two groups: the groups A and B, based on a low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio of 1.7, which was the mean value of the LF/HF ratio in the healthy volunteers. After a 3-month treatment with alfuzosin XL, we compared treatment outcomes, based on the IPSS and peak urine flow rate, between the two groups. RESULTS: A 3-month treatment with alfuzosin XL, comprising the measurement of the HRV, was performed for the 23 patients of the group A (23/38) and 17 of the group B (17/28). After a 3-month treatment with alfuzosin XL, total IPSS and IPSS questionnaire 2 and 5 were significantly lower in the group A as compared with the group B. But this was not seen in the group B. Furthermore, there were no significant differences in other parameters, such as maximal flow rate and IPSS storage subscore, between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that the treatment efficacy was lower in patients with sympathetic hyperactivity as compared with those with sympathetic hypoactivity. Thus, our results will provide a basis for further studies to clarify causes of LUTS in a clinical setting.
Autonomic Nervous System ; Health Promotion ; Healthy Volunteers ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms* ; Male ; Prostate ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome*

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) due to blunt head trauma is a rare condition. Possible causes of SNHL by head trauma include cellular injury, perilymphatic fistula, labyrinthine concussion due to microfracture in inner ear and blunt trauma with simultaneous acute labyrithitis. We report here on two unusual cases in which cochleovestibular functions were totally damaged in patients with sudden SNHL due to blunt head trauma. Both cases presented with vertigo, tinnitus and a sudden onset of hearing impairment in the unilateral ear after blunt trauma. Audiograms revealed a profound to severe unilateral SNHL. Caloric testing revealed a decreased caloric response of 100% in the ipsilateral side compared to the contralateral side. Vestibular evoked myogenic potential testing revealed no response in the ipsilateral ear. Neither patient recovered hearing despite oral and/or intratympanic steroid therapy.
Caloric Tests ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Ear ; Ear, Inner ; Fistula ; Head ; Head Injuries, Closed ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans ; Labyrinthitis ; Tinnitus ; Vertigo

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) due to blunt head trauma is a rare condition. Possible causes of SNHL by head trauma include cellular injury, perilymphatic fistula, labyrinthine concussion due to microfracture in inner ear and blunt trauma with simultaneous acute labyrithitis. We report here on two unusual cases in which cochleovestibular functions were totally damaged in patients with sudden SNHL due to blunt head trauma. Both cases presented with vertigo, tinnitus and a sudden onset of hearing impairment in the unilateral ear after blunt trauma. Audiograms revealed a profound to severe unilateral SNHL. Caloric testing revealed a decreased caloric response of 100% in the ipsilateral side compared to the contralateral side. Vestibular evoked myogenic potential testing revealed no response in the ipsilateral ear. Neither patient recovered hearing despite oral and/or intratympanic steroid therapy.
Caloric Tests ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Ear ; Ear, Inner ; Fistula ; Head ; Head Injuries, Closed ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Hearing Loss, Sensorineural ; Hearing Loss, Sudden ; Humans ; Labyrinthitis ; Tinnitus ; Vertigo

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Endolymphatic hydrops are known as major causes of Meniere's disease. MRI (Magnetic resonance imaging) with contrast tried recently makes it possible to visualize perilymphatic and endolymphatic space without invasive procedures. There are no tryouts in the interior of our country. We attempted MRI after injection of gadolinium-diethylen-triamine pentaacetic acid (Gd-DTPA) in normal adults and patients with Meniere's disease to make sure 3D-FLAIR (fluid-attenuated inversion recovery) MRI parameters and to visualize endolymphatic spaces. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Five normal adults and Five patients with Meniere's disease were included in this study. Twenty-four hours after Gd-DTPA intratympanic injection, we performed 3D-FLAIR and 3D-IR imaging at 3T. MRI region of interest signal intensity was used to determine the diffusion of Gd-DTPA into the perilymphatic fluid spaces over time. RESULTS: Five of five in normal group, using 3D-IR MRI after Gd injection, had enhanced imagings (perilymphatic spaces) of inner ears. Five of five in patients group, using 3D-IR after Gd injection, had enhanced perilymphatic spaces and non-enhanced endolymphatic hydrops. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed contrast imaging of the inner ear with 3D-IR MRI after Gd-DTPA intratympanic injection revealed in vivo visualization of endolymphatic hydrops.
Adult ; Diffusion ; Ear, Inner ; Endolymphatic Hydrops ; Gadolinium DTPA ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ; Magnetics ; Magnets ; Meniere Disease

Technetium 99 M pertechnetate has become a valuable for the radioisotopic brain scan. This was introduced by Haper in 1963 and is now widely used in the medical field. The advantages are easy administration, high count rate with potential for high speed scanning, absence of beta radiation and decreasing time for test. We used Siemens Scintimat 2 Scanner with a 3x2 inch Na(T1) crystal and 151-hole collimator in our study. 10 mci Technetium 99 M was injected intravenously and obtained both lateral, anterior and posterior view in 80 cases of brain lesion from Mar. 75 to Sep. 76. The scans were classified as positive, negative and suspicious. The overall detection rate in 40 cases of brain tumors was 60%, especially high uptake in mengioma, malignant pituitary tumor, astrocytoma, metastatic brain tumor and acoustic neuroma. But in nontumors diseases of the brain including CVA, head injury and hydrocephalus the uptake rate was a little value.
Astrocytoma ; Beta Particles ; Brain Neoplasms ; Brain* ; Craniocerebral Trauma ; Hydrocephalus ; Neuroma, Acoustic ; Pituitary Neoplasms ; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m ; Technetium

Lymphangioma is a congenital malformation of the lymphatic system that easily expands into surrounding tissue similar to malignancies. Surgical excision has been the treatment of choice, but the results of surgical resection have been unsatisfactory due to incomplete resection, fluid collection and recurrence after surgery. Intralesional injection of OK-432(lyophilized incubation mixture of group A. streptococcus pyogenes of human origin) was employed in treating 24 patients with lymphangiomas between 1992 and 1997. The therapy was used as a primary therapy in 21 patients. Also it used in 3 patients with unresectable or recurrent lymphangioma. The results of intralesional injection of OK-432 were excellent in 8 patients (33.3%), good in 7 patients (21.8%) and poor in 7 patients (21.8%). The side effects were fever under 39.0degrees C and a local inflammation, however, were subsided in a few days without serious complications. These data suggest that intralesional injection of OK-432 is safe and effective for lymphangioma as a primary therapy and unresectable or recurrent lymphangioma as a secondary therapy.
Child* ; Fever ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Injections, Intralesional ; Lymphangioma* ; Lymphatic System ; Picibanil* ; Recurrence ; Streptococcus pyogenes