title: Involvement of the anterior semicircular canal in posttraumatic benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the involvement of the different semicircular canals in posttraumatic benign paroxysmal positioning vertigo (BPPV) with special reference to the anterior canal (AC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-four BPPV patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Neurotologic assessment with video-oculography; treatment of BPPV with the canalith repositioning procedure appropriate for the affected semicircular canal.
  
  
  METHODS
  Number of patients with AC, posterior canal (PC), horizontal canal (HC), and multiple-canal involvement in posttraumatic versus idiopathic BPPV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  85.1% of patients were classified as idiopathic BPPV, whereas 14.9% had a history of posttraumatic BPPV. The prevalence of AC BPPV was significantly higher in the posttraumatic group (27.3%) compared with that in the idiopathic group (3.2%; Fisher's exact test: p = 0.021). Multiple-canal (combined) BPPV was observed more frequently after head trauma (27.3%) compared with the idiopathic form of the disorder (1.6%; p = 0.009). In particular, the risk for combined AC/PC BPPV was greater in posttraumatic than idiopathic cases (odds ratio, 13.78; 95% confidence interval, 1.13-167.8). No significant differences were observed for the involvement of the PC and HC between the two groups. Two cases of combined AC/PC BPPV are presented with particular respect to the underlying trauma mechanism.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Head trauma is a risk factor for AC and combined BPPV, in particular AC/PC BPPV. Involvement of the AC should especially be considered in patients who experienced head trauma resulting in a nonupright position of the body.
authors: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Erlangen University Hospital, Erlangen, Germany. julia.dlugaiczyk@uks.eu
authors: Julia
authors: J
authors: Dlugaiczyk
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Siebert
authors: Dietmar J
authors: DJ
authors: Hecker
authors: Christoph
authors: C
authors: Brase
authors: Bernhard
authors: B
authors: Schick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D065635:Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D056888:Patient Positioning; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012665:Semicircular Canals / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014717:Vertigo / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology