Vestibular implant: does it really work? A systematic review / Implante vestibular: ele realmente funciona? Uma revisão sistemática

Abstract Introduction: People with vestibular loss present a deficit in the vestibular system, which is primarily responsible for promoting postural control, gaze stabilization, and spatial orientation while the head moves. There is no effective treatment for a bilateral loss of vestibular function. Recently, a vestibular implant was developed for people with bilateral loss of vestibular function to improve this function and, consequently, the quality of life of these patients. Objective: To identify in the scientific literature evidence that vestibular implants in people with vestibular deficit improves vestibular function. Methods: One hundred and forty six articles were found from five databases and 323 articles from the gray literature mentioning the relationship between vestibular implant and vestibular function in humans. The PICOS strategy (Population, Intervention, Comparison and Outcome) was used to define the eligibility criteria. The studies that met the inclusion criteria for this second step were included in a qualitative synthesis, and each type of study was analyzed according to the bias risk assessment of the Joanna Briggs Institute through the critical assessment checklist Joanna Briggs institute for quasi-experimental studies and the Joanna Briggs institute critical assessment checklist for case reports. Results: Of the 21 articles included in reading the full text, 10 studies were selected for the qualitative analysis in the present systematic review. All ten articles analyzed through the critical assessment checklist Joanna Briggs institute showed a low risk of bias. The total number of samples in the evaluated articles was 18 patients with vestibular implants. Conclusions: Taken together, these findings support the feasibility of vestibular implant for restoration of the vestibulo-ocular reflex in a broad frequency range and illustrate new challenges for the development of this technology.

Resumo Introdução: Pessoas com perda vestibular apresentam um déficit no sistema vestibular, o qual é o principal responsável pelo controle postural, pela estabilização do olhar e orientação espacial enquanto a cabeça se movimenta. Não há tratamento efetivo para uma perda vestibular bilateral. Recentemente, foi desenvolvido um implante vestibular para pessoas com perda vestibular bilateral para melhorar essa função e, consequentemente, a qualidade de vida desses pacientes. Objetivo: Identificar na literatura científica evidências de que o implante vestibular melhora a função vestibular de pessoas com déficit vestibular. Método: Cento e quarenta e seis artigos foram encontrados em cinco bases de dados e 323 arti-gos da literatura cinzenta, mencionando a relação entre implante vestibular e função vestibular em humanos. A estratégia PICOS (População, Intervenção, Comparação e Desfechos) foi uti-lizada para definir os critérios de elegibilidade. Os estudos que preencheram os critérios de inclusão para esta segunda etapa foram incluídos em uma síntese qualitativa, e cada tipo de estudo foi analisado de acordo com a avaliação de risco de viés do Joanna Briggs Institute através da critical appraisal checklist for quasi-experimental studies e da critical appraisa lchecklist for case reports. Resultados: Dos 21 artigos incluídos cujos textos completos foram lidos, 10 foram selecionados para a análise qualitativa na presente revisão sistemática. Todos os dez artigos analisados ??através da critical appraisal checklist mostraram um baixo risco de viés. O número total de amostras nos artigos avaliados foi de 18 pacientes com implantes vestibulares. Conclusões: Em conjunto, esses achados apoiam a viabilidade do implante vestibular para a restauração do reflexo vestíbulo-ocular em uma ampla faixa de frequências e ilustram novos desafios para o desenvolvimento desta tecnologia.

Implantes vestibulares / Vestibular prosthesis

La lesión o hipofunción vestibular bilateral (HVB) es un cuadro clínico que provoca oscilopsias y desequilibrio incapacitante que se agrava en oscuridad. Algunas de las causas de HVB son el uso de drogas ototóxicas, enfermedad de Ménière bilateral, enfermedades autoinmunes y degeneración espinocerebelar. El manejo de esta discapacidad es complejo y muchas veces la rehabilitación no logra los objetivos deseados. Una de las alternativas terapéuticas futuras para la HVB y aún en plena fase experimental es el implante vestibular, cuyo funcionamiento en términos generales es similar al de un implante coclear. En esta revisión se analiza la génesis e historia del desarrollo de los implantes vestibulares, sus principales características y el futuro de su implementación.

Bilateral vestibular loss (BVL) is a clinic syndrome that produces oscillopsias and disabling disequilibrium, especially in darkness. Some causes of BVL are the use of ototoxic drugs, bilateral Ménière disease, autoinmune ear disorders and spinocerebellar ataxia. The management of this disability is complex and many times the rehabilitation does not accomplish with the desired goals. One future therapeutic alternative for BVL and still in an experimental stage is the vestibular implant, whose overall functioning is similar to a cochlear implant. In this review we analyze the genesis and history of vestibular implant development, its main technical characteristics and the future of its implementation.

The Changes of Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex after Acute Peripheral Unilateral Vestibular Loss / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: It is well known that compensation begins after acute unilateral peripheral vestibular function loss. The change of vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) is variable and affected by many factors. But there is no studies reported on the changes of individuals with the lapse of time. Using the rotation chair test and caloric test, we wanted to know the individual compensatory process of VOR as time progresses following an acute unilateral peripheral vestibular loss. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Subjects were patients of acute peripheral vestibular neuritis (n=19) whose nystagmus showed more than 24 hours. The follow up period was 10 weeks until the head shake nystagmus (HSN) disappeared. We measured the duration of each spontaneous nystagmus (SN) and HSN. Sinusoidal harmonic acceleration (SHA) was tested at 0.04 and at 0.08 Hz level, with the step velocity of 100 degrees per second. We also performed caloric test after HSN disappeared. RESULTS: SN and HSN each lasted 25 days and 50 days. VOR changes had an irregular pattern among individuals with gain increasing after decrement and phase lead decreasing after increment. Furthermore, the gain asymmetry was more irregular and lasted longer as well at the step velocity. Even though compensation has been reached, the caloric test revealed continuous abnormal values, which is quite different from the recovery of VOR in the rotatory test. CONCLUSION: During the early compensation period, we could recognize that the individual VOR changes recovered with a irregular pattern. On the other hand, the caloric test was not altered even after compensation.

A Study of Rotation Test in Patients with Unilateral Peripheral Vestibular Loss / 대한이비인후과학회지

BACKGROUND: In general, it is well known that dizzy patients show a remarkable ability to compensate for the loss of peripheral vestubular function. When the patient had decreased response to caloric stimulation and showed no symptoms of vestibular dysfunction, we thought that was a compensated state of unilateral peripheral vestibular loss. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to provide the basic data for analysis of findings of further rotatory chair test through analyzing the results of rotation test of unilateral peripheral vestibular loss patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analysed the findings of rotatory chair test and clinical manifestations of 24 cases of unilateral vestublar loss which didn't show any symptoms of vestibular dysfunction and they were confirmed by bithermal caloric test and Kobrak's ice water test. RESULTS: We could find that phase lead, low gain and asymmetry could persist despite of chronic compensated state and these findings were relatively common in patients with nonspecific vestibular symptoms. CONCLUSION: Abnornal phase lead and decreased gain were observed in the compensated unilateral vestibular loss patients who showed nonspecific symptoms including oscillopsia, vague unsteadiness. We thought that their compensation was not completely perfect and SHA test was a good tool which detect the minor degree of vestibular dysfunction. We have to consider the past history and nonspecific symptoms of patients through precise history taking. Frequency of SHA test is slower than that of normal human movement and this status is not a real physiologic condition, so it would be advisable to consider the results of other vestibular function tests for precise evaluation the degree of compensation, and the serial check is also recommended.