Nutraceuticals for Peripheral Vestibular Pathology: Properties, Usefulness, Future Perspectives and Medico-Legal Aspects.

Vestibular disorders may generate complex signs and symptoms, which may alter patients' balance and the quality of life. Dizziness and vertigo can strongly affect daily activities and relations. Despite the presence of conventional drugs, maneuvers, and surgery, another interesting therapeutic opportunity is offered by nutraceuticals. These molecules are often used in the treatment of dizziness and vertigo, but the rationale of their application is not always solidly demonstrated by the scientific evidence. Several substances have shown a variable level of efficacy/usefulness in this field, but there is lack of important evidence for most of them. From a medico-legal point of view, specific information must be provided to the patient regarding the efficacy and possibilities that the use of these preparations can allow. Administering the right nutraceutical to the proper patient is a fundamental clinical skill. Integrating conventional drug treatment with nutraceutical administration seems to be easy, but it may be difficult considering the (in part unexplored) pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of nutraceuticals. The aim of the scientific community should be to elevate nutraceuticals to the same law and technical dignity of conventional drugs.

Delayed diagnosis of Wernicke encephalopathy with irreversible neural damage after subtotal gastrectomy for gastric cancer: A case of medical liability?

INTRODUCTION: Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) is a neurological syndrome caused by thiamine deficiency, and clinically characterized by ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and acute confusion. In developed countries, most cases of WE have been seen in alcohol misusers. Other reported causes are gastrointestinal tract surgery, hyperemesis gravidarum, chronic malnutrition, prolonged total parenteral nutrition without thiamine supplementation, and increased nutrient requirements as in trauma or septic shock. WE is a well-known postoperative complication of gastric restrictive surgery for morbid obesity, after which patients often experience protracted nausea and vomiting, leading to malnutrition and massive weight loss. PRESENTATION OF CASE: This case report concerns WE occurring in a patient who underwent Roux-en-Y subtotal gastrectomy for gastric cancer, and subsequently experienced neurological symptoms that proved irreversible probably due to the lengthy time elapsing between their clinical presentation and the diagnosis of WE. DISCUSSION: There have been some reports of WE occurring after total or subtotal gastrectomy for gastric cancer in non-obese patients with no history of alcoholism, but monitoring for WE has yet to be recommended in the clinical guidelines in this setting (as it has for bariatric surgery). Because of its rarity and variable clinical presentation, WE is often under-diagnosed and under-treated, and confused with other neurological problems. CONCLUSION: There is an urgent need for the specific guidelines to take into account not only the neoplastic follow-up of such patients, but also the possible side effects of necessary surgery, since this could help to ensure the timely diagnosis and management of WE in this setting, and to avoid, when possible, claims for medical malpractice that may cause enormous costs both in economical and professional terms.