[Treatment failures in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. Role of vestibular rehabilitation].
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of therapeutic maneuvers performed for BPPV patients. The study will also evaluate the efficacy of complementary exercises for vestibular rehabilitation (VR) in BPPV, presenting with persistent vertigo or disequilibrium after performing therapeutic maneuvers.


METHODS
175 patients from both sexes, were included in this analysis. All suffered from BPPV and were treated with therapeutic maneuvers, preferably that described by Semont (SM).


RESULTS
One week after SM, 79% of patients were cured; 13% complained of disequilibrium or vertigo without BPPV, 3%, presented with a persistent positional vertigo without nystagmus during the Hallpike manoeuvre and 5% of the patients still complained from BPPV which in some cases got worse. For patients still complaining of imbalance or non-positional vertigo, customized VR programs were applied (optokinetic stimulations, rotatory chair, proprioceptive training and/or platform). The final results, evaluated by posturography and by DHI, were good.


CONCLUSIONS
VR exercises can achieve improvement or cure in 16% of these patients.
EQUI/Hospital Particular de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal. equil@iol.pt
F
F
Vaz Garcia
D004576:Electromyography; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D019233:Retreatment; D017211:Treatment Failure; D014717:Vertigo / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D014722:Vestibule, Labyrinth / Q000503:physiopathology*