Vestibular neurectomy: retrosigmoid-intracanalicular versus retrolabyrinthine approach

Selective vestibular neurectomy is an effective treatment for intractable vertigo of peripheral vestibular origin when preservation of hearing is a goal. The retrolabyrinthine and retrosigmoid-intracanalicular approaches have been used predominantly at our institutions over the last 10 years. The results and complications of these two techniques were compared. No significant differences were found between hearing results in these two patient groups. The retrosigmoid-internal auditory can approach yielded better control of recurrent episodic vertigo, as well as superior ablation of postoperative ice-water caloric responses (p < 0.05). Surgical complications, including the incidence of cerebrospinal fluid leakage (greater in retrolabyrinthine approach) and postoperative headache (more prevalent in retrosigmoid approach), were also analyzed. To further evaluate the results of this study, data were reanalyzed and compared with previously published reports of selective vestibular nerve section.