1. Medical and Surgical Management Of the Balance Disordered Patient

3. Medical Management of Balance Complaints

4. Acute vs. Chronic Balance Problems Acute: –Reduce discomfort –Suppress emesis –Sedation Chronic –Suppression of Vestibular Symptoms –Tx of Specific Conditions (e.g., Meniere’s, Migraine, etc.) –Tx of Reactive Depression

5. Acute Vestibular Crisis Vestibular Suppressants: –Antihistaminic (Antivert, Bonine, Drammamine) –Anticholinergic (Phenergan, Scopalamine) –Benzodiazepines (Valium, Ativan, Klonopin, Xanax) Antiemetics: –Phenergan, Inapsine, Zofran, Rubinul, Compazine Oral Corticosteroids –Decadron, Deltasone,

6. Other Medical Interventions Diuretics -- Meniere’s: –Dyazide –Lasix –Diamox Vasodilators (microcirculatory enhancement) –Pavabid –Niacin

7. Dietary Management Reduced Sodium (< 1500 mg) –Meniere’s –Labyrinthine Concussion Dietary Exclusions –Migraine: caffeine, alcohol, chocolate, cheese, etc.

8. Surgery Reparative: Middle ear surgery Perilymph Fistula Sac decompression/Endolymphatic shunt Ablative: Labyrinthectomy Vestibular Nerve Section Canal Plugging Chemical destruction

9. Perilymph Fistula

10. Perilymph Fistula Repair Exploratory surgery – controversial Success: –64% improve when fistula found –44% improve when no fistula found –Vestibular improvement common –Auditory symptoms (HL/tinn) generally not improved.

11. Endolymphatic Sac Decompression/ Endolymphatic Shunt For E. Hydrops –Remember natural history of Meniere’s –“Plumbing” has no basis in known function Moderately beneficial over 2 years Shunts close up by 4 years Neither very effective at 5 years No different than sham surgery

12. Rationale for Ablative Procedures Fluctuating or progressive peripheral dysfunction doesn’t allow compensation to occur Surgery produces stable peripheral lesion Permits central compensation

13. Labyrinthectomy Surgical Destruction of the inner ear Trans- canal or trans-mastoid Eliminates vertigo in 90 to 93% of cases Hearing is sacrificed

14. Vestibular Neurectomy Control of unilateral Meniere’s in pts with some hearing. Approaches: –Middle fossa –Retrolabyrinthine –Retrosigmoid 95% relief from vertiginous attacks

15. Neurectomy Complications Incomplete sectioning (up to 5%) Neuroma growth (<1%) CSF leak (10%) Facial weakness (<1% with monitoring) Ongoing Headache (25% or more)  Transtympanic Gentamicin is preferred

16. Chemical Destruction Transtympanic delivery of aminoglycoside Gentamicin perfusion is common Under local anaesthesia 4 to 6 injections (1/week) until vertigo occurs Contralateral ear unaffected Vertigo dissipates over 7-30 days post treatment

17. Chemical Destruction Vertigo eliminated in 84 to 100 % Hearing often worse: –30 % on average –Range: 3% to 58% (susceptibility) –(Compared to near 100% with streptomycin) Relapse rates reported: –up to 30% (susceptibility, again) –Repeat treatment/consider vest. nerve section

18. Canal Plugging BPPV pts who do not respond to positioning/ libratory maneuvers Plug produces single canal paresis Success above 95% Alternative to singular neurectomy

19. Surgical Follow-Up Adjunctive Medical Tx Vestib. Rehab. (esp. with ablative surgery) –Fixed deficit for brain to accommodate –VR helps brain learn to do so.