Epley's canalith-repositioning manoeuvre for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Otolaryngology

Background:

• Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is a common cause of vertigo.
• The Epley's canalith-repositioning manoeuvre is a standard treatment for BPPV.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of the Epley's manoeuvre alone versus Epley's manoeuvre with a mastoid oscillator for BPPV treatment.
• To compare subjective and objective outcomes at 1 and 6 months post-treatment.

Main Methods:

• Prospective study of 62 patients diagnosed with BPPV.
• Patients randomly assigned to Epley's manoeuvre alone (n=34) or with mastoid oscillator (n=28).
• Outcomes assessed using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Dix-Hallpike's positional test at 1 month, with a 6-month follow-up for recurrence.

Main Results:

• Complete symptom resolution reported by 85.7% of patients in both groups at 1 month.
• Objective resolution of nystagmus observed in 88.2% (Epley alone) and 86% (Epley with oscillator) at 1 month.
• Recurrence rate was 18.4% at 6 months, with no significant difference between groups.

Conclusions:

• The Epley's manoeuvre is highly effective for BPPV treatment.
• Adding a mastoid oscillator does not significantly improve subjective or objective outcomes compared to the Epley's manoeuvre alone.
• BPPV recurrence is possible, necessitating long-term monitoring.