The effect of canalith repositioning for anterior semicircular canal canalithiasis.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of our canalith repositioning procedure (CRP) for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) of the anterior semicircular canal (ASC). We conducted a prospective study of 30 ASC BPPV patients to analyze the efficacy of a modified CRP. When the patient was diagnosed as having ASC BPPV by a specific provocative positioning test, a CRP was performed. The response to the treatment was categorized as grade I-IV. Of the 30 study patients, 6 were male and 24 were female with the highest incidence when the patients were in their 50s. The vertigo and nystagmus in 29 patients fully resolved (grade I). Using this maneuver, 96.7% of patients became symptom free. Overall, the maneuver needed to be performed 1.97 times to control the symptoms. Based on these findings, CRP could be one of the most effective treatment methods for ASC BPPV. Copyright (c) 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel.