Aural suction without vertigo.
Vertigo induced by aural suction was abolished by maintaining a constant temperature in the mastoid cavity during the procedure. This was achieved using humidified air at 38 degrees C at the wider end of the aural speculum. The cavity temperature fell by a maximum of 0.2 degrees C (average) in 24 patients, none of whom experienced rotatary vertigo despite prolonged suction. This contrasted with a maximum temperature drop of 8.9 degrees C (average) in the same group of patients, 18 of whom then suffered vertigo and nystagmus, when the cavity temperature was not controlled during suction.
Nicolaides
A R
AR
Department of Otolaryngology, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, UK.
Gray
R F
RF
D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D008297:Male; D008416:Mastoid; D008875:Middle Aged; D013396:Suction; D014717:Vertigo / Q000517:prevention & control*