title: The outcome of vestibular nerve section for intractable vertigo: the patient's point of view.
abstract: To document the outcome of vestibular nerve section from the patient's point of view we reviewed 102 patients who had undergone vestibular nerve section 1 to 10 years after operation. Only 3 patients had experienced further vertigo attacks: 2 of these were cured by a further, this time translabyrinthine vestibular nerve section; 1 patient developed multiple sclerosis. In contrast, about 50% of patients developed some subjective problem with balance while standing or walking; in 15% it was present all the time and of moderate severity. Despite this, over 85% of patients reported that they felt much better or back to normal after the operation and were satisfied with the outcome. The development and application of objective preoperative measures of vestibular and, in particular, vestibulospinal function might improve patient selection for vestibular nerve section and thus reduce the number of dissatisfied patients.
authors.affiliation: Neuro-otology and Skull-base Surgery Unit, St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: C B
authors.initials: CB
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Eisenberg
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Halmagyi
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Fagan
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008575:Meniere Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014717:Vertigo / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014725:Vestibular Nerve / Q000601:surgery*