Bone-Anchored Hearing Aid Effects on Vestibular Function: A Preliminary Report.

OBJECTIVE: Cochlear receptors are sensitive to vibratory stimuli. Based on this sensibility, bone-anchored hearing aids have been introduced to correct unilateral or bilateral conductive or mixed hearing loss and unilateral deafness. The vestibular system is also sensitive to the vibratory stimulus and this type of response is used in clinics to test its functionality. Being aware of this double separated sensibility, we wondered whether bone vibration, which activates the acoustic receptors of patients with bone conduction aids, can also influence the functionality of the vestibular system. METHODS: To this end, we recruited 12 patients with a bone-anchored hearing aid and evaluated their vestibular function with and without an activated vibratory acoustic device. RESULTS: Our results show that the vibratory stimulus delivered by the bone conduction aid also reaches and stimulates the vestibular receptors; this stimulation is evidenced by the appearance or modification of some nystagmus findings during bedside vestibular testing. Despite this, none of these patients complained of dizziness or vertigo during prosthesis use. Nystagmus that appeared or changed during acoustic vibratory stimulation through the prosthesis was almost all predominantly horizontal, unidirectional with respect to gaze or body position, inhibited by fixation, and most often consistent with vestibular function tests indicating peripheral vestibular damage. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of sound-evoked nystagmus seem to indicate peripheral rather than central vestibular activation. The occurrence of some predominantly horizontal and high-frequency induced nystagmus seems to attribute the response mainly to the utricle and lateral semicircular canal.

A Clinical Infrared Video-Oculoscopy Suppression Head Impulse (IR-cSHIMP) Test.

BACKGROUND: We propose a Suppression Head IMPulse (SHIMP) test method that provides for equipment only through the use of InfraRed Video-OculoScopy (IR-VOS) and allows horizontal and vertical semicircular canal function evaluation in bedside mode. We therefore named the test InfraRed clinical SHIMP (IR-cSHIMP). METHODS: To check IR-cSHIMP diagnostic efficiency, we studied 22 normal subjects, 18 patients with unilateral, and 6 with bilateral deficient vestibulopathy. Each subject first underwent a vestibular examination and, only later, an IRc-SHIMP test. RESULTS: When the IR-cSHIMP test was performed in the horizontal plane, all normal subjects showed anti-compensatory saccades. When the vertical semicircular canal function was evaluated, the same result was obtained in all normal subjects except three, which were considered false positives. In patients with vestibular deficits, the test performed in the horizontal and vertical planes were always pathological, with 100% agreement between clinical and instrumental tests. CONCLUSIONS: Our bedside method proved to be fast, simple, and effective in discriminating between healthy and pathological subjects. It required only the same skill as the better-known cHIT. For these reasons, we believe that the IR-cSHIMP should be part of daily clinical practice as a useful tool in the selection of patients to undergo more sophisticated investigations.

Total mandible and bilateral TMJ reconstruction combining a customized jaw implant with a free fibular flap: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: The need for whole mandibular bone reconstruction and bilateral joint replacement is fortunately rare, but it is an extremely challenging topic in maxillofacial surgery, due to its functional implications. CAD-CAM techniques development has opened new broad horizons in the surgical planning of complex maxillofacial reconstructions, in terms of accuracy, predictability, and functional cosmetic results. The review of the literature has revealed a small number of scientific reports on total mandibulectomy including the condyles, with only eleven cases from 1980. Most of the works describe reconstructions secondary to dysplastic or inflammatory diseases affecting the lower jaw. The aim of this work, reporting a rare case of massive fibrous dysplasia of the whole mandible, is to share our experience in the management of extended mandibular and bilateral joint reconstruction, using porous titanium patient-specific implants. CASE PRESENTATION: The authors present a 20-year-old male patient suffering from massive bone fibrous dysplasia of the mandible. The mandibular body and both the rami and the condylar processes had been involved, causing severe functional impairment, tooth loss, and facial deformation. The young patient, after repeated ineffective conservative surgical treatments, has required a biarticular mandibular replacement. Using virtual surgical planning (VSP) software, the authors, in collaboration with medical engineers, have created a custom-made original titanium porous mandibular implant, suspended from a bilateral artificial temporomandibular joint. The mandibular titanium implant body has been specifically designed to support soft tissues and to fix, in the alveolar region, a free fibular bone graft, for delayed dental implant prosthetic rehabilitation. CONCLUSION: The surgical and technical details, as well as the new trends in mandibular reconstructions using porous titanium implants, are reported, and discussed, reviewing literature reports on this topic. Satisfactory functional and cosmetic restorative results have been obtained, and no major complications have occurred. The patient, currently in the 18th month clinical and radiological follow-up, has recently completed the functional restoration program by an implant-supported full-arch dental prosthesis.

Prevention of Recurrent Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: The Role of Combined Supplementation with Vitamin D and Antioxidants.

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) usually has a favorable course, although it is possible to observe BPPV with a high recurrence rate. Previous studies suggested that vitamin D deficiency might affect BPPV recurrences, and oxidative stress might play a complementary role in BPPV pathogenesis. This multicentric trial aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of oral nutritional supplementation with a compound of alpha-lipoic acid, Carnosine, and Zinc (LICA® (Difass International, Coriano (RN), Italy)), vitamins of group B and vitamin D in preventing BPPV recurrences. A total of 128 patients with high recurrence-BPPV were randomized in three arms: Arm 1 consisted of subjects with "insufficient" or "deficient" vitamin D blood levels, treated with daily oral supplementation of LICA®, vitamins of group B and vitamin D3 (800 UI), Arm 2 included BPPV subjects with "sufficient" vitamin D who did not receive any nutritional support, and Arm 3 included subjects with a "sufficient" serum concentration of vitamin D who received supplementation with a compound of LICA® and Curcumin. After six months of follow-up, a significant reduction of BPPV relapses compared to the baseline was found only in Arm 1 (−2.32, 95% CI: 3.41−1.62, p-value < 0.0001). Study results suggested that oral nutritional supplementation with vitamin D3 plus antioxidants can prevent relapses in patients suffering from high recurrence-BPPV.

Vestibular Disorders after Kidney Transplantation: Focus on the Pathophysiological Mechanisms Underlying the Vertical Nystagmus Associated with Tacrolimus-Related Hypomagnesamia.

The purpose of this paper is to present the case of a patient undergoing kidney transplantation who developed limb tremor dizziness and vertical nystagmus (ny) during Tacrolimus (TAC) therapy and to investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the balance disorder. This case study regards a 51-year old kidney transplant male patient with hand tremors and lower limbs asthenia associated with dizziness and nausea. The symptoms started two months after the beginning of intravenous TAC for renal transplantation. The pure-tone audiometry showed a mild symmetrical high-frequencies down-sloping sensorineural hearing loss. Acoustic emittance measures showed a normal tympanogram; stapedial reflexes were normally elicited. The Auditory Brainstem Responses (ABR) and Cervical Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (c-VEMPs) were bilaterally normally evoked. The bedside vestibular examination showed spontaneous down-beating stationary persistent, omni-positional nystagmus, not inhibited by fixation. The Head-Shaking Test accentuates the spontaneous ny. The horizontal clinical head impulse test was negative, bilaterally. A biochemical blood test revealed a decrease in Magnesium (Mg) levels (0.8 mg/dL; normal range 1.58-2.55). The integration of Mg induced both a plasma levels normalization and an improvement of clinical symptoms. This case suggests that TAC treatment can induce a Mg depletion that caused the transient cerebellar lesion. Therefore, the monitoring of serum electrolytes during immunosuppressive treatment appears to be a useful tool in order to reduce the central system symptomatology.

Symptom improvement after transtympanic tube placement in Ménière's disease: preliminary observations.

OBJECTIVE: The treatment of choice for Ménière disease (MD) aims at preventing severity and frequency of vertigo attacks. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of ventilation tube (VT) placement on vertigo control in patients affected by MD with no response to standard medical therapy. METHODS: 76 consecutive outpatients diagnosed with definite MD who failed medical therapy received VT insertion at the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, "Ospedale del Mare", Naples, Italy, with a 3-year follow up. RESULTS: Over the long term, VT placement was effective in controlling vertigo in 61.8% of patients. In the control group treated with standard preventive care (SPC) alone, all patients continued to experience recurrent vertigo during the entire study. Comparison of survival curves by using the log-rank test shows that significant differences in survival exist between subjects treated with VT placement and the control sample (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our long-term follow-up confirms that VT placement is an effective and safe management option in intractable definite MD, especially in the elderly or in those refusing more invasive treatments.

Pseudo-spontaneous nystagmus increases Bow and Lean Test accuracy.

OBJECT: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the Bow and Lean Test (BLT) based on nystagmus intensity and direction evaluation (NID-BLT) in the diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo of the lateral semicircular canal (LSC-BPPV). We hypothesised that the presence of a pseudo-spontaneous nystagmus increases the diagnostic accuracy of the test. METHODS: The BLT was performed in 32 subjects affected by LSC-BPPV. RESULTS: BLT was positive in 27 cases with a sensitivity of 84.3% and an accuracy of 70.4%. In other words, it was possible to carry out a BPPV root canal diagnosis (LSC) with BLT in 27 patients, of whom 19 also received a diagnosis of side and form. Pseudo-spontaneous nystagmus was detected in 15 patients, all of whom were BLT positive. In these patients, a clear diagnosis of form and side was also obtained in 14 cases (accuracy 93.3%). In the 12 patients without pseudo-spontaneous nystagmus and BLT positive, a diagnosis of side and form was reached in 5 cases (accuracy 41.6%). The comparison between percentages (Chi square test) showed a significant difference (p = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of a pseudo-spontaneous nystagmus, as an expression of more mobile debris within the canal or a more deflectable cupula, increases the accuracy of the BLT.

Efficacy of Epley's canalith repositioning procedure according to the number of repetitions in the same session: comparison of three protocols.

BACKGROUND: The canalith repositioning manoeuvre (CRM) described by Epley remains a grade A recommended treatment for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) of the posterior semicircular canal (PSC). However, significant variability in the efficacy of Epley CRM has been reported. AIMS: To compare the treatment efficacy of different combinations of the Epley CRM and Dix-Hallpike retest. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients with PSC BPPV were divided into one of the following three treatment groups. Manoeuvre group (M): patients underwent a single Epley CRM without subsequent Dix-Hallpike retesting. Manoeuvre-Control group (MC): patients underwent up to three Epley CRM followed by Dix-Hallpike retesting until nystagmus resolution. Manoeuvre-Control-Manoeuvre group (MCM): A similar procedure to that used in the MC group except that, after the negative Dix-Hallpike retest, there was an additional CRM. RESULTS: A more favourable tendency for recovery was observed in the MCM group. There was a positive odds ratio of 1.1 between groups M and MC at the first control, 2.7 between groups M and MCM, and 2.5 between groups MC and MCM. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: Close repetition of a single Epley CRM after the first effective one would allow a positional retest to be combined with a reduction in the risk of persistent/recurrent BPPV.

Double-Blind Randomized Trial on the Efficacy of the Forced Prolonged Position for Treatment of Lateral Canal Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: The need for class I and II studies on the efficacy of liberatory maneuvers in the treatment of lateral canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (LC-BPPV) motivated the present double-blind randomized trial on the short-term efficacy of the forced prolonged position (FPP). STUDY DESIGN: Double-blind, randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Two hundred twenty-one patients with unilateral LC-BPPV met the inclusion criteria for a multicentric study. Patients were randomly assigned to treatment by FPP (116 subjects) or sham treatment (105 subjects). Subjects were followed up at 24 hours with the supine roll test by blinded examiners. RESULTS: Among the sample, 67.4% and 32.6% of the patients showed respectively geotropic and apogeotropic variant of LC-BPPV. At the 24-hour follow-up, the effectiveness of FFP compared to the sham maneuver was, respectively, 57.8% versus 12.4% (P < .0001) in the total sample, 76.9% versus 11.3% (P < .0001) in the geotropic variant group, and 60.5% versus 17.6% (P = .0003) in the apogeotropic variant group, including resolution or transformation to geotropic variant. CONCLUSIONS: FPP proved highly effective compared to the sham maneuver. The present class 2 study of the efficacy of the FPP changes the level of recommendation of the method for treating LC-BPPV into a strong one. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2 Laryngoscope, 131:E1296-E1300, 2021.

Alcohol binge-drinking damage on the vestibulo-oculomotor reflex.

PURPOSE: Binge drinking is associated with several adverse effects in multiple organs. This study aimed at evaluating the effects of a binge-like-drinking on the vestibulo-oculomotor reflex (VOR) using the video Head Impulse Test (vHIT) and the functional Head Impulse Test (fHIT). METHODS: Eleven healthy men (age range 32-35 years) with moderate drinking habits and no history of vestibular dysfunction were enrolled. A preliminary assessment of breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) to check for zero alcohol value and a pre-intake evaluation of VOR using the vHIT and the fHIT were carried on. Then, the subjects were asked to take drinks with different alcohol content (8-40% ethanol by volume) according to their choice, consuming at least 5 standard drinks. Volunteers stopped drinking after 3 h. After a further 30 min, post-intake BrAC measurements and VOR analysis were repeated. RESULTS: After alcohol intake, vHIT recorded an overall significant reduction of VOR gain (0.82 ± 0.07 on both sides) although the outcomes were below the normal range only in the four subjects with the highest blood alcohol levels. The post-intake fHIT outcomes were substandard in 9 participants, with a significant deterioration in performance (% of exact answers = 84.54 ± 11.05% on the left, 83.18 ± 14.53 on the right). CONCLUSIONS: Binge drinking severely affects VOR; fHIT seems more sensitive than vHIT in the assessment of VOR function for complex vestibular lesions, such as those determined by ethanol, suggesting that fHIT could support vHIT in vestibular dysfunction assessment.

Upright BPPV Protocol: Feasibility of a New Diagnostic Paradigm for Lateral Semicircular Canal Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo Compared to Standard Diagnostic Maneuvers.

Background: The diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) involving the lateral semicircular canal (LSC) is traditionally entrusted to the supine head roll test, also known as supine head yaw test (SHYT), which usually allows identification of the pathologic side and BPPV form (geotropic vs. apogeotropic). Nevertheless, SHYT may not always allow easy detection of the affected canal, resulting in similar responses on both sides and intense autonomic symptoms in patients with recent onset of vertigo. The newly introduced upright head roll test (UHRT) represents a diagnostic maneuver for LSC-BPPV, supplementing the already-known head pitch test (HPT) in the sitting position. The combination of these two tests should enable clinicians to determine the precise location of debris within LSC, avoiding disturbing symptoms related to supine positionings. Therefore, we proposed the upright BPPV protocol (UBP), a test battery exclusively performed in the upright position, including the evaluation of pseudo-spontaneous nystagmus (PSN), HPT and UHRT. The purpose of this multicenter study is to determine the feasibility of UBP in the diagnosis of LSC-BPPV. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical data of 134 consecutive patients diagnosed with LSC-BPPV. All of them received both UBP and the complete diagnostic protocol (CDP), including the evaluation of PSN and data resulting from HPT, UHRT, seated-supine positioning test (SSPT), and SHYT. Results: A correct diagnosis for LSC-BPPV was achieved in 95.5% of cases using exclusively the UBP, with a highly significant concordance with the CDP (p < 0.000, Cohen's kappa = 0.94), regardless of the time elapsed from symptom onset to diagnosis. The concordance between UBP and CDP was not impaired even when cases in which HPT and/or UHRT provided incomplete results were included (p < 0.000). Correct diagnosis using the supine diagnostic protocol (SDP, including SSPT + SHYT) or the sole SHYT was achieved in 85.1% of cases, with similar statistical concordance (p < 0.000) and weaker strength of relationship (Cohen's kappa = 0.80). Conclusion: UBP allows correct diagnosis in LSC-BPPV from the sitting position in most cases, sparing the patient supine positionings and related symptoms. UBP could also allow clinicians to proceed directly with repositioning maneuvers from the upright position.

Vestibular Functioning in Children with Neurodevelopmental Disorders Using the Functional Head Impulse Test.

Several studies in children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) including autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), reading impairment, or attention deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD) pointed toward a potential dysfunction of the vestibular system, specifically in its complex relationship with the cerebellum. The aim of the present study was to test the functional vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) responses in children with NDDs to measure functional performance of the vestibular system. The VOR is specifically involved in this stabilization of the image on the retina during rapid movements of the head. To perform this study, four groups of children with ASD, ADHD, reading impairment, and with neurotypical development (TD) were enrolled (n = 80). We performed the functional head impulse test (fHIT), which measured the percentage of correct responses by asking the child to identify an optotype briefly presented during passive head impulse in each direction of each semicircular canal plane. We observed significantly lower correct answers in children with NDDs compared with those with TD (p < 0.0001). Surprisingly, there was no significant difference between the three groups of children with NDDs. Our study fostered preliminary evidence suggesting altered efficiency of vestibular system in children with NDDs. VOR abnormalities estimated using the fHIT could be used as a proxy of NDD impairments in children, and represent a potential biomarker.

Congruous Torsional Down Beating Nystagmus in the Third Position of the Semont's Maneuver in Patients Treated for Canalithiasis of Posterior Semicircular Canal Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: Its Significance and Prognostic Value.

Due to its mechanical pathogenesis, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo treatment is mainly physical: when posterior semicircular canal is involved, Semont's maneuver is reported as one of the most effective liberating procedures. In the case of a canalolithiasis, the efficacy of the maneuver is corroborated by the appearance of some nystagmus findings during its performance. Liberating nystagmus, that can occur in the second position of Semont's maneuver and whose direction is congruous with the excitation of the affected posterior semicircular canal has proven to be a favorable prognostic sign. On the other hand, in clinical experience, we've frequently verified the appearance of another nystagmus during the execution of the maneuver: upon reaching the third position, when replacing the patient seated, a torsional down beating nystagmus, with the torsional component "congruous" with the stimulation of the vertical semicircular canals of the affected side, can often be appreciated. Such a sign can occur with or without having had the previous liberating nystagmus in the second position and is almost always associated with an intense vertigo and/or body pulsion. In this study, we describe the incidence and characteristics of the congruous torsional down beating nystagmus that can arise by assuming the third position of Semont's maneuver in a cohort of patients treated for posterior semicircular canal benign paroxysmal positional vertigo due to canalolithiasis. In the best of our knowledge, such a sign has never been described and explained before. On the basis of the pathophysiology and of the possible canal receptors stimulation during the different phases of Semont's maneuver, we formulated different hypothesis on how such a nystagmus can be generated. We observed that such a sign, when elicited, has a very good prognostic meaning for healing purposes, even better than that of liberating nystagmus. Therefore, congruous torsional down beating nystagmus should always be checked when performing Semont's maneuver because it could help in predicting success of physical treatment and in managing patients.

Diagnosis of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo in Emergency Department: Our experience.

The Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) represents the first cause of peripheral vertigo in populations and it is determined by a displacement of otoconial fragments within the semicircular canals. Following the patient's head movements, these fragments, moving by inertia, incorrectly stimulate the canals generating vertigo. The BPPV is diagnosable by observing the nystagmus that is generated in the patient following the Dix-Hallpike maneuver used for BPPV diagnosis of vertical semi-circular canal, and, following the supine head yaw test used for lateral semi-circular canal. Correctly identifying the origin of this specific peripheral vertigo, would mean to obtain a faster diagnosis and an immediate resolution of the problem for the patient. In this context, this study aims to identify precise training activities, aimed at the application of specific diagnostic maneuverers for algorithm decisions in support of medical personnel. The evaluations reported in this study refer to the data collected in the Emergency Department of the Cardarelli Hospital of Naples. The results obtained, over a six-month observation period, highlighted the advantages of the proposed procedures in terms of costs, time and number of BPPV diagnoses.

Horizontal semicircular canal jam: Two new cases and possible mechanisms.

INTRODUCTION: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) of the horizontal semicircular canal (hSCC) can present with otoconia blocking its lumen (canalith jam), with signs and symptoms that make it difficult to distinguish from central nervous system pathology. OBJECTIVE: Here we report two cases of canalith jam affecting the hSCC and offer a theoretical mechanism based on known vestibular neurophysiology. METHODS: We use video-oculography to document the canalith jam and show the moment the otoconia loosen. RESULTS: Canalith jam is a rare form of BPPV remedied with repositioning maneuvers. CONCLUSION: Clinicians should consider canalith jam as a mechanism for BPPV when the nystagmus is (a) Direction fixed with fixation removed and during positional testing; (b) Velocity dependent on supine head position; (c) Converts to geotropic directional changing nystagmus.

Approach to residual dizziness after successfully treated benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: effect of a polyphenol compound supplementation.

PURPOSE: To assess if a polyphenol compound supplementation (Vertigoval®) could improve residual dizziness earlier after benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and relieve patients from this disabling symptomatology. METHODS: In this prospective, multicentric study, 127 patients were randomized in the treatment group (TG), who received a 60-day supplementation, while 131 patients were randomized in the control group (CG), who did not receive any medication. The dizziness handicap inventory (DHI) score, static posturography, and the visual analog scale (VAS) for both dizziness (D-VAS) and nausea/vomit (N/V-VAS) were used as measures of outcome at baseline and after 30 and 60 days. Patients were asked about efficacy and tolerance to the treatment. Side effects were examined. RESULTS: A statistically significant greater decrease was established in the TG for DHI, D-VAS, and N/V-VAS compared to the CG. On the other hand, static posturography did not show statistical differences between the two groups, though a better clinical improvement after 60-day supplementation was shown in the TG in comparison to the CG. We counted mild side effects in only 2 patients. Most patients reported an excellent or good efficacy and tolerance to the treatment. CONCLUSION: Residual dizziness is a frequent condition of unknown origin that manifests as persistent disabling imbalance after successful repositioning maneuvers for BPPV. The decreasing postural control can affect the quality of life, contributing to falling and psychological problems. The supplementation with the polyphenol compound used in our study is safe, manageable, and appeared to be able to reduce subjective symptoms and improve instability earlier, decreasing the risk of potential complications.

Does cervical range of motion affect the outcomes of canalith repositioning procedures for posterior canal benign positional paroxysmal vertigo?

PURPOSE: Canalith repositioning procedure (CRP) for posterior canal benign positional paroxysmal vertigo (BPPV), also known as Epley maneuver, is a common procedure for the treatment of BPPV. This maneuver entails flexion, extension and rotation of the patient's neck. This study aims to investigate the impact of cervical range of motion (C-ROM) on CRP efficacy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 47 patients with posterior canal BPPV treated by CRP. The procedure was considered successful if vertigo and nystagmus disappeared at the post-treatment evaluation. If CRP resulted ineffective, it was repeated up to three times per session. C-ROM was measured at BPPV diagnosis before treatment. Patients were followed up for 30 days. RESULTS: The first CRP was successful in 29 patients (61.7%), while it was ineffective in 18 patients (38.3%) requiring multiple repositioning maneuvers. Patients who needed two or more CRP showed lower C-ROM in extension (p = .003) and flexion (p = .042), and earlier recurrences (p = .006). Univariate regression analysis showed that lower cervical extension was significantly associated with the failure of the first CRP (OR: 0.899, 95% CI 0.831-0.973, p = .008). CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that a reduced C-ROM can require multiple CRPs to successfully treat BPPV and increase the risk of early recurrences.

Assessment of the effect of mesoglycan in the treatment of audiovestibular disorders of vascular origin.

It is a well-known fact that inner ear diseases are often caused by microcirculatory disorders, and the recent literature is oriented towards investigations into the relationship between the cardiovascular system and cochleovestibular illness with related classical symptoms: tinnitus, hearing loss, and vertigo or instability. These symptoms, and particularly the vertigo, may be the alarm signal of microcirculatory disorders of the labyrinth or vertebrobasilar circulation so as to represent a possible symptom of posterior circulation stroke. The treatment aimed at correcting the haemodynamic and metabolic imbalance, generated by the cochleovestibular microcirculatory disorders, with drugs that act on the vessel wall being very useful, both alone and in combination with other treatment protocols. This is a multicenter retrospective observational study conducted in 40 neurootological laboratories with 873 patients with cardiovascular risk factors suffering from tinnitus, instability or peripheral vertigo alone or in combination with one another treated for the first time with mesoglycan. The data collected showed that the treatment with mesoglycan, irrespective of the type of vascular risk factor, is not only well tolerated but also significantly and objectively improves the cochleovestibular symptoms and the quality of life of patients suffering from tinnitus, peripheral vertigo and instability.