Efficacy of the Semont maneuver in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.
Journal article

Efficacy of the Semont maneuver in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

  • 2003-06-18
Published in:
  • Archives of otolaryngology--head & neck surgery. - 2003
English OBJECTIVES
To assess the efficacy of the Semont maneuver in the treatment of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) of the posterior semicircular canal and to evaluate the possible effect of various factors on the efficacy of this maneuver.


DESIGN AND SETTING
Retrospective study in an outpatient clinic.


PATIENTS
Two hundred seventy-eight patients presenting with symptomatic, unilateral BPPV of the posterior semicircular canal, exclusively treated with the Semont maneuver.


INTERVENTIONS
During the first consultation, each patient was treated with a Semont maneuver. When BPPV persisted, this maneuver was repeated during follow-up visits, performed at weekly intervals.


MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Patients were considered cured when vertigo disappeared within 30 days (allowing up to 4 maneuvers).


RESULTS
More than 90% of patients were cured after a maximum of 4 maneuvers, and 83.5% were cured after only 2 maneuvers. The efficacy of the maneuver decreased each time it was repeated (from 62.6% at the first maneuver to 18.2% at the fourth). The duration of symptoms before initial consultation and the etiology of BPPV had a significant effect on the maneuver's efficacy (P<.001 and P =.002, respectively), whereas age (P =.12), sex (P =.06), and affected side (P =.20) had no effect.


CONCLUSIONS
The Semont maneuver demonstrated a 90.3% cure rate after a maximum of 4 sessions. Patients consulting late (>6 months after the beginning of symptoms) or having traumatic BPPV had lower recovery rates than patients without these factors (74.7% vs 96.5%).
Language
  • English
Open access status
bronze
Identifiers
Persistent URL
https://sonar.ch/global/documents/98691
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