Affiliations:
Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Neurology, Feng Yuan Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Correspondence:
[*]
Corresponding author: Chien-Ming Chen (Lu) MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Feng Yuan Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare; 100, An-Kan Rd, Feng Yuan, Taichung Taiwan, R.O.C. Fax: +886 04 25284445; E-mail: jmchenvertigoexpert@gmail.com.
Note: [1] The author’s family name has been changed to Lu from Chen, since 2009.
Abstract: BACKGROUND: There are some variations of barbecue rotation to treat canalithiasis of horizontal semicircular canal (HSC-canalithiasis). But a 540° approach has never been reported. OBJECTIVE: To compare a modified 540° to a traditional 360° barbecue rotation for treatment of HSC-canalithiasis. METHODS: Sixty consecutive patients with HSC-canalithiasis were prospectively allocated to two groups of log roll treatment, either 540° or 360° barbecue rotation (Br540 or Br360). Only one application was allowed in each visit, with weekly repetitions until the resolution of positional nystagmus and vertigo. RESULTS: In each group, 2 patients were lost to follow-up so that 28 were analyzed. With “multi-canal sufferers” or “canal switchers” included, 25, 2, and 1 patients in the Br540 needed 1, 2 and 4 canalith repositioning procedures (CRP) respectively to cure the HSC-canalithiasis, while 17, 6, 5 in the Br360 required 1, 2 and 3 CRPs (p = 0.011). With “multiple canal sufferers” and “canal switchers” excluded from analysis, 19, 1, and 1 patients in the Br540 needed 1, 2 and 4 CRPs respectively, while 16, 6, 4 in the Br360 required 1, 2 and 3 CRPs (p = 0.027). The success rate with one application was higher in the 540° group than the 360° group, about 90% versus 61% (P < 0.05 in both analyses). CONCLUSION: A 540° barbecue rotation is probably superior to 360° for treatment of HSC-canalithiasis.
