Bilateral vestibulopathy patients’ perspectives on vestibular implant treatment: a qualitative study (original) (raw)

The vestibular implant: Opinion statement on implantation criteria for research1

Journal of Vestibular Research, 2020

This opinion statement proposes a set of candidacy criteria for vestibular implantation of adult patients with bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP) in a research setting. The criteria include disabling chronic symptoms like postural imbalance, unsteadiness of gait and/or head movement-induced oscillopsia, combined with objective signs of reduced or absent vestibular function in both ears. These signs include abnormal test results recorded during head impulses (video head impulse test or scleral coil technique), bithermal caloric testing and rotatory chair testing (sinusoidal stimulation of 0.1 Hz). Vestibular implant (VI) implantation criteria are not the same as diagnostic criteria for bilateral vestibulopathy. The major difference between VI-implantation criteria and the approved diagnostic criteria for BVP are that all included vestibular tests of semicircular canal function (head impulse test, caloric test, and rotatory chair test) need to show significant impairments of vestibular fu...

Vestibular implant: does it really work? A systematic review

Brazilian Journal of Otorhinolaryngology, 2019

Introduction: People with vestibular loss present a deficit in the vestibular system, which is primarily responsible for promoting postural control, gaze stabilization, and spatial orientation while the head moves. There is no effective treatment for a bilateral loss of vestibular function. Recently, a vestibular implant was developed for people with bilateral loss of vestibular function to improve this function and, consequently, the quality of life of these patients. Objective: To identify in the scientific literature evidence that vestibular implants in people with vestibular deficit improves vestibular function. Methods: One hundred and forty six articles were found from five databases and 323 articles from the gray literature mentioning the relationship between vestibular implant and vestibular function in humans. The PICOS strategy (Population, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome) was used to define the eligibility criteria. The studies that met the inclusion criteria for this second step were included in a qualitative synthesis, and each type of study was analyzed according to the bias risk assessment of the Joanna Briggs Institute through the critical assessment checklist Joanna Briggs institute for quasi-experimental studies and the Joanna Briggs institute critical assessment checklist for case reports.

The vestibular implant: Opinion statement on implantation criteria for research

Journal of Vestibular Research

This opinion statement proposes a set of candidacy criteria for vestibular implantation of adult patients with bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP) in a research setting. The criteria include disabling chronic symptoms like postural imbalance, unsteadiness of gait and/or head movement-induced oscillopsia, combined with objective signs of reduced or absent vestibular function in both ears. These signs include abnormal test results recorded during head impulses (video head impulse test or scleral coil technique), bithermal caloric testing and rotatory chair testing (sinusoidal stimulation of 0.1 Hz). Vestibular implant (VI) implantation criteria are not the same as diagnostic criteria for bilateral vestibulopathy. The major difference between VI-implantation criteria and the approved diagnostic criteria for BVP are that all included vestibular tests of semicircular canal function (head impulse test, caloric test, and rotatory chair test) need to show significant impairments of vestibular function in the implantation criteria. For this, a two-step paradigm was developed. First, at least one of the vestibular tests needs to fulfill stringent criteria, close to those for BVP. If this is applicable, then the other vestibular tests have to fulfill a second set of criteria which are less stringent than the original criteria for BVP. If the VI-implantation is intended to excite the utricle and/or saccule (otolith stimulation), responses to cervical and ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials must be absent in addition to the above mentioned abnormalities of semicircular canal function. Finally, requirements for safe and potentially effective stimulation should be met, including implanting patients with BVP of peripheral origin only, and assessing possible medical and psychiatric contraindications.

Quality of life of patients with bilateral vestibulopathy

The Annals of otology, rhinology, and laryngology, 2012

Currently, there is no evidence of an effective treatment for patients with bilateral vestibulopathy (BV). Their main complaints are oscillopsia and imbalance. Opinions about the impact of BV on their quality of life are controversial, and their handicap is not always recognized, even among otoneurologists. The aim of this study was to objectively assess the health status of BV patients in order to evaluate the need for pursuing efforts toward the development of new treatments. The short-form health survey (SF-36), the dizziness handicap inventory (DHI), the short falls efficacy scale-international (short FES-I), and an oscillopsia severity questionnaire were submitted to 39 BV patients. The SF-36 scores were compared to the scores of a general Dutch population. The DHI scores were correlated to the oscillopsia severity scores. The short FES-I scores were compared to scores in an elderly population. Residual otolithic function was correlated to all scores, and hearing to SF-36 score...

Vestibular substitution: comparative study

Journal of Laryngology and Otology, 2010

Objective: To determine the efficacy of vestibular rehabilitation with the electrotactile vestibular substitution system, as a new treatment modality in patients with bilateral vestibular disorders.

The Value of Vestibular Rehabilitation in Patients with Bilateral Vestibular Dysfunction

The Journal of International Advanced Otology, 2017

The value of vestibular rehabilitation in patients with bilateral vestibular dysfunction was investigated. MATERIALS and METHODS: This study assessed 17 patients (9 males, 8 females) with bilateral vestibular dysfunction. Vestibular rehabilitation continued for 1.5 months. Videonystagmography tests (including oculomotor testing, positional testing, and caloric tests), vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) testing, and computerized dynamic posturography were performed during the pre-, mid-, and post-treatment periods. The patients underwent cranial and internal acoustic canal MRI. Consultant physicians from the neurology and physical medicine and rehabilitation departments reviewed all patients. RESULTS: The post-treatment anteroposterior somatosensorial (APSO), anteroposterior global (APGLO), mediolateral visual (MLVI), and mediolateral global values and anteroposterior and mediolateral trials and conditions were significantly higher than those measured in the pre-treatment period. Similarly, mid-treatment values of the APSO, APGLO, and the anteroposterior sensory organization test (SOT) 2 were significantly higher than those measured in the pre-treatment period. CONCLUSION: Vestibular rehabilitation was effective in patients with bilateral vestibular dysfunction. As the vestibular rehabilitation duration increased, so did the efficacy of the treatment.

Vestibular Therapy

Recent Advances in Audiological and Vestibular Research [Working Title]

Vestibular therapy is a common topic in physicians’ search for updated clinical practice. Early and appropriate vestibular rehabilitation makes a difference in a patient’s outcome. Peripheral vestibular impairments are often unilateral and heterogeneous. For this reason, treatment differs depending on the etiology, the moment from the onset, and the age of the patient. Following issues will be addressed in this chapter: medical treatment in the acute phase and subacute/chronic phase of unilateral vestibular loss; repositioning maneuvers for different types of BPPV; vestibular rehabilitation individualized programs, for vestibular neuritis, otolith dysfunction, visual vertigo, bilateral vestibular loss; virtual reality in vestibular rehabilitation programs; evaluation of vestibular rehabilitation programs; and new research treatment options—vibrotactile Balance Bely and vestibular implant.

Patterns of Vestibular Impairment in Bilateral Vestibulopathy and Its Relation to Etiology

Frontiers in Neurology, 2022

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate (1) the patterns of vestibular impairment in bilateral vestibulopathy (BVP) and subsequently, the implications regarding patient eligibility for vestibular implantation, and (2) whether this pattern and severity of vestibular impairment is etiology dependent.MethodsA total of one hundred and seventy-three subjects from three tertiary referral centers in Europe were diagnosed with BVP according to the Bárány Society diagnostic criteria. The subjects underwent vestibular testing such as the caloric test, torsion swing test, video Head Impulse Test (vHIT) in horizontal and vertical planes, and cervical and/or ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (c- and oVEMPs). The etiologies were split into idiopathic, genetic, ototoxicity, infectious, Menière's Disease, (head)trauma, auto-immune, neurodegenerative, congenital, and mixed etiology.ResultsThe caloric test and horizontal vHIT more often indicated horizontal semicircular canal impairme...

Bilateral vestibulopathy: beyond imbalance and oscillopsia

Journal of Neurology, 2020

Objective To optimize the current diagnostic and treatment procedures for patients with bilateral vestibulopathy (BV), this study aimed to determine the complete spectrum of symptoms associated with BV. Method A prospective mixed-method study design was used. Qualitative data were collected by performing semi-structured interviews about symptoms, context, and behavior. The interviews were recorded and transcribed until no new information was obtained. Transcriptions were analyzed in consensus by two independent researchers. In comparison to the qualitative results, quantitative data were collected using the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and a health-related quality of life questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L). Results Eighteen interviews were transcribed. Reported symptoms were divided into fourteen physical symptoms, four cognitive symptoms, and six emotions. Symptoms increased in many situations, such as darkness (100%), uneven ground (61%), cycling (94%) or driving a car (56%). These symptoms associated with BV often resulted in behavioral changes: activities were performed more slowly, with greater attention, or were avoided. The DHI showed a mean score of severe handicap (54.67). The HADS questionnaire showed on average normal results (anxiety = 7.67, depression = 6.22). The EQ-5D-5L demonstrated a mean index value of 0.680, which is lower compared to the Dutch age-adjusted reference 0.839 (60-70 years). Conclusion BV frequently leads to physical, cognitive, and emotional complaints, which often results in a diminished quality of life. Importantly, this wide range of symptoms is currently underrated in literature and should be taken into consideration during the development of candidacy criteria and/or outcome measures for therapeutic interventions such as the vestibular implant.