[Bilateral vestibular loss. Diagnosis and follow-up].
BACKGROUND
Atypical symptom in patients with bilateral vestibular loss is head movement-induced oscillopsia. The paucity of precise complaints in many patients is surprising. Therefore, bilateral loss of vestibular function is often undiagnosed.


METHODS
We report on the long-term follow-up in 29 patients. They were monitored for 2-7 years (mean: 4.5 years).


RESULTS
Of the 29 patients 16 described oscillopsia. All symptomatic patients had acute bilateral vestibular loss.Patients described that their symptoms improved over a period of 1-2 years. Improvement was not age dependent.


CONCLUSIONS
Otoneurologists should be aware of the particular clinical symptoms in bilateral vestibular loss. Regarding clinical features, compensation of bilateral vestibular loss seems to be unlikely only based on central compensatory eye movement reflexes. More likely perceptual adaptations and restriction of head movement are responsible for subjective improvement.
Frese
K A
KA
Klinik für Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde, Kopf- und Halschirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Kiel. knut.frese@audio.uni-kiel.de
Reker
U
U
Maune
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004584:Electronystagmography; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015835:Ocular Motility Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D012027:Reflex, Vestibulo-Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014724:Vestibular Function Tests; D014725:Vestibular Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000503:physiopathology