Modified particle repositioning procedure

To evaluate the efficacy of modifications to traditional particle repositioning maneuvers in the treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

Prospective trial of 118 patients with cupolocanalithiasis of the posterior canal treated with three different canal-repositioning techniques.

Results were compared with the maneuvers employed and the statistical importance of rotating patients by 360 degrees along their longitudinal axis and head shaking on reaching each single position were evaluated.

Treatment of patients with our maneuver, which, in comparison with traditional repositioning maneuvers, was modified by breaking the procedure up into seven positions and rotating patients by 360 degrees along their longitudinal axis, gives a higher, but not statistically significant, number of treatment successes (84.5%) than the traditional Parnes maneuver (60%) (P = .154); treatment of a third group of patients with our modified particle repositioning maneuver with the addition of head-shaking on reaching each single position gives a higher (95.6%), statistically significant number of treatment successes than traditional Parnes maneuver (P = .00011).

The success rates achieved from modified particle repositioning maneuvers are statistically significant. Onset or persistence of dizziness, which patients frequently complain of after liberatory maneuvers, affects only 5.6% of the patients treated. This low incidence is statistically correlated to head-shaking.