Abstract

To explore the clinical characteristics of the benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) associated with sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) (throughretrospective analysis of 19 cases from June 2008 to June 2010) and improve the diagnosis and treatment. Nineteen cases (7 male and 12 female, aged 46 to 68 years old) of BPPV associated with SSHL from June 2008 to June 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. All the patients were diagnosed SSHL by history and pure tone threshold test. Positional paroxysmal vertigo was diagnosed by Hallpike test or roll test. Epley maneuver or Barbecue roll maneuver were used to treat according to the type of BPPV, and the efficacy was evaluated by symptom and Hallpike test. 63.2% cases were female patients in the study; BPPV occurred after SSHL in all of the cases (all in the hearing loss ears), of which 15 cases were posterior semicircular canal lithiasis and 4 cases were horizontal semicircula canal lithiasis (only 1 case was cupula lithiasis); 15 out of 19 patients had BPPV within 2 weeks after SSHL;BPPV was cured in all cases after several times of posture treatments. BPPV can result from SSHL. A possible mechanism may be the inner ear circulation disorder or virus infection that lead to otolith falling off. Most cases of BPPV occurred in the posterior semicircular canal of the diseased ear. Otolith reposition is an effective treatment for BPPV secondary to SSHL.

Key words: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, sudden sensorineural hearing loss, otolith.