Retrolabyrinthine vestibular nerve section: analysis of results

The retrolabyrinthine section of the vestibular nerve is an effective procedure for the ablation of unilateral vestibular function while preserving hearing. Although this procedure has been most frequently used for the control of unilateral Meniere's disease, it may also be effective in the control of unilateral vestibular dysfunction of other etiologies. A 2-year experience with the indications for and the surgical results in a series of patients who underwent this procedure is presented. Brief case histories of a variety of etiologies of unilateral vestibular dysfunction are discussed.