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Balance impairment after acoustic neuroma surgery
Davide Tufarelli1, Annalisa Meli, Francesca Sylos Labini
1ENT Rehabilitation Unit, San Raffaele Pisana Scientific Institute Tosinvest Sanita, Italy. davide.tufarelli@sanraffaele.it
Objective:
The aim of this study was to assess the incidence of balance problems after acoustic neuroma surgery, evaluating whether disequilibrium is disabling.
Study Design:
Retrospective observational study.
Setting:
Rehabilitation center.
Patients:
A group of 386 patients who underwent acoustic neuroma surgery.
Interventions:
Patients were selected from a population of 459 subjects who had undergone surgery for acoustic neuroma.
Mean Outcome Measures:
The Dizziness Handicap Inventory, The Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC), and a specific questionnaire on oscillopsia.
Results:
The specific questionnaire emphasized that 39 patients (10.10%) perceived disequilibrium as disabling, and the oscillopsia handicap score result was moderate in 73.32% of the sample, mild in 21.50%, and severe in 5.18% of patients. The Dizziness Handicap Inventory and ABC scales revealed the presence of handicap and disability due to disequilibrium and the influence of some variables such as sex and a higher oscillopsia handicap score. Dizziness Handicap Inventory and ABC scores were higher in symptomatic patients.
Conclusion:
Disequilibrium influences handicap and disability after acoustic neuroma surgery. This symptom is also present after several years since surgery, and some patients perceived disequilibrium as disabling.