Subjective visual vertical in patients with ear surgery

Abstract

Conclusion: Dysequilibrium is one of the most important side effects of ear surgery. The subjective visual vertical can be used as a good indicator for the evaluation of otolithic function in patients with ear surgery. Objective: To investigate the influence of various types of ear surgery on the otolithic organs. Methods: Seventy-one patients underwent ear surgery. Subjective visual vertical (SVV) test was performed before and after ear surgery. We investigated the directional changes of SVV before and after the ear surgery. Results: The postoperative SVV of two patients who underwent translabyrinthine removal of vestibular schwannoma shifted toward the operated side, but following other surgical procedures the SVV tended to shift toward the healthy side.

Keywords::

• Utriculus
• subjective visual horizontal
• SVH
• vestibular
• tympanoplasty
• otoliths

Acknowledgment

The authors thank Prof. Andrew H. Clarke, Dr. Uwe Schönfeld, and Prof. Hans Scherer, Charité, University Medicine Berlin, Germany, for valuable suggestions. We are indebted to Prof. J. Patrick Barron of the International Medical Communication Center of Tokyo Medical University for his review of this manuscript.

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.