Surgical management of common peripheral vestibular diseases.
OBJECTIVE
To review the latest developments in the surgical management of common peripheral vestibular disorders.


RESULTS
Although surgery is indicated mainly for patients with Meniere's disease, other less common disorders such as benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, semicircular canal dehiscence, perilymphatic fistulae, fistulae of semicircular canals, VIII nerve vascular compression, chronic vestibular neuronitis, and dizziness following sudden sensorineural hearing loss may require surgical intervention when conservative management has failed.


CONCLUSIONS
Surgery for vestibular disorders is less often indicated at present. Office-administered intratympanic gentamicin and steroid treatment have been found to be effective for control of vertigo in Meniere's disease. Side-effects of this treatment are overall acceptable. Surgery may be considered for Meniere's disease patients with good hearing who have failed intratympanic steroid treatment. Surgery is indicated for patients with debilitating dizziness associated with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, semicircular canal dehiscence, vascular loop compression, and perilymphatic fistulae.
Sismanis
Aristides
A
University of Athens, Athens, Greece. asismanis@aol.com
D006801:Humans; D015837:Vestibular Diseases / Q000601:surgery*