A new nystagmographic test for the elicitation of sub-clinical vertebro-basilar insufficiency and poor cochleo-vestibular vascularization.
The nystagmus due to vertebro-basilar artery insufficiency is that nystagmus which is induced by torsion and extension of the neck, continued for more than 3 minutes, after nystagmus of other types has been excluded. It is of vascular origin, in contra-distinction to nystagmus of cervical origin, which is proprioceptive. It permits the detection of sub-clinical vertebro-basilar insufficiency, and it should be elicited before any operation which requires prolonged cervical rotation. It is a very simple method which can be performed at the end of the classical torsion swing test, and we have found the results very informative.
D003051:Cochlea / Q000098:blood supply; D004584:Electronystagmography / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D014715:Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000098:blood supply