Vestibular function in cases of posterior semicircular canal canalolithiasis and cupulolithiasis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze and compare the vestibular function of posterior canal cupulolithiasis and canalolithiasis.

METHODS: The results of posterior cupulolithiasis in 45 cases, posterior canalolithiasis in 122 cases and 19 healthy controls were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS: The abnormal rates of vHIT in the canalolithiasis group and the cupulolithiasis group were 42.6 and 37.8%, respectively, both higher than those in the control group (both p  < 0.05); there was no statistically significant difference between two BPPV groups ( p  = 0.573). The abnormal vHIT in 76.9% of the canalolithiasis cases and 82.4% of the cupulolithiasis cases showed normal gain with saccades, with no difference between the groups ( p  = 0.859). The lesion location of vHIT in the two groups did not show a correlation with the affected side of BPPV (both p  > 0.05). 84.4% of canalolithiasis and 65.0% of cupulolithiasis had abnormal VEMP results, with no significant differences in abnormality rates or sides (both p  > 0.05). Abnormal results of VEMPs did not show any correlation with side ( p  > 0.05). The results of pc-ca and pc-cu were both abnormal in 14 cases and 7 cases, and there was no correlation between the site and side of the injury (all p  > 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The results of vHIT and VEMP in pc-cu and pc-ca were partially abnormal, but they did not show any correlation with side of BPPV. It can be considered that there are scattered vestibular peripheral organ damage in both groups.